February may be cold outdoors but staying comfortable indoors doesn’t have to mean using more energy. With a few simple steps, you can help keep your home warm while managing your energy use this winter.
Five easy ways to stay warm without turning up the heat:
Use a voice assistant to adjust your smart thermostat. Lowering the temperature can help you save on heating—and you don’t even have to leave the couch.
Set the mood with a dimmer switch. Lower lighting uses less energy than bright lights, and it makes your space feel cozy.
Close your fireplace damper when not in use. An open damper lets as much heat escape as keeping a window wide open during the winter. Closing it helps prevent wasted energy.
Show your home some love: Clean or replace HVAC filters regularly. A clean filter helps your heating system run efficiently, saves energy and keeps your indoor air fresher.
Seal drafts with weatherstripping. Adding weatherstripping around doors and windows keeps heat in and chilly drafts out, so your heating system doesn’t have to work as hard. Find supplies at our Online Marketplace.
Prevent up to 15% of heat loss from your home.
In a recent poll, we asked people “Which DIY project prevents up to 15% of heat loss from your home?”
The winner was: Sealing air leaks
And they were right! Sealing home air leaks prevents up to 15% of heat loss, saving energy on heating. See our video below to learn more about how to detect an air leak in your home.
Be your own energy detective.
Suspect some chilly air is leaking into your home? Try these quick DIY tests.
- The damp hand test: Place a damp hand near suspected drafty areas. If you feel a breeze, seal up the crack with a little caulk.
- The dollar bill test: Close a door or window on a dollar bill. If it slides out easily, you’re losing energy. Add weatherstripping to tighten the gap.
If you discovered any air leaks, the next step is to seal them. When air leaks are coming through cracks less than a quarter-inch wide, caulking is your best bet.
For components that move, such as doors and windows, use weatherstripping. Be sure to choose weatherstripping that will withstand friction, weather and temperature changes.
Find bigger savings with DIY sealing.
If weatherstripping hasn’t fixed drafts, sealing around window and door trim can help. This is a moderate DIY project, but it can improve comfort and lower energy costs.
What you’ll need:
Materials
- Putty (match trim color)
- Spackle (for painted trim)
- Paint (for painted trim)
- Nails
- Non-expanding foam sealant (for windows and doors)
Tools
- Hammer and nail punch or brad nail gun
- Pry bar
- Putty knife
- Utility knife
- Pliers or nippers
- Rags
Safety gear
- Dust mask
- Gloves
- Eye protection
⚠️ Important: Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Removing trim can create hazardous dust. Consider hiring a professional if this applies to your home.
Check if sealing is needed
- Remove the trim from one window or door.
- Cut along the painted edges where the trim meets the wall to prevent damage.
- Gently pry off the trim using a putty knife and pry bar.
- Look at the gap between the wall framing and the window or door jamb.
- If there’s little or no insulation or sealant, your windows and doors likely need sealing.
How to seal window and door trim
- Remove the interior trim.
- Remove old insulation from the gap.
- Spray non-expanding foam sealant and let it harden.
- Trim away excess foam.
- Reinstall the trim and replace nails.
- Fill nail holes with putty (clear trim) or spackle and paint (painted trim).
Need a little extra help this winter?
Visit our Bill Toolkit for easy-to-use tools and programs.
Find more simple ways to save at SaveWithPPL.com.
I filled out a WRAP Application and it does not submit – says there’s a character error… I checked more than once – there is NO ERROR
Hello Deborah,
Thank you for reaching out. You may want to check to make sure there are no spaces at the beginning or end of a word that should not be there. However, as an alternative, you may apply by phone at 877-486-9204. Thank you!
You people should be ashamed of yourself, along with the insurance companies!
thanks doing did all checks.
Thank you. This is helpful. I am disabled and rent. My place is old and I have electric baseboard heat. My bills are $400-$500 a month and my rooms are 50-56 degrees!! I literally freeze!! I applied for the Wrap program and was approved but they said it could take 4-6 months for the assessment. I sure hope they can help me. Thank you!
When I viewed my latest electric bill for the first time I was extremely alarmed. Over $700 for one month of heating our home… Wow! We did just put a more efficient heating system into our home due to the rising cost. The investment was almost $15,000.. What would the bill have been if we hadn’t. I have noticed that you are planning another increase, where does it end? How are people going to be able to afford to live in their homes??
Good morning, Margaret,
We understand it can be overwhelming trying to figure out ways to reduce your costs! Here are some additional tools you can use to try and help lower your costs.
If you have a web profile set up for your account, please sign in and view your daily & hourly usage online under http://www.pplelectric.com/analyze. You will see what time of day your usage is highest and can make lifestyle adjustments to lower your usage.
Review tips to save energy and money under http://www.savewithppl.com. We also offer a FREE Virtual Home Energy Assessment that includes a phone consultation with a trained Energy Advisor, energy efficiency recommendations specific to your home and a free personalized energy savings kit. For more information and to set up an appointment, visit http://www.pplelectric.com/virtualassessment.
Apply for assistance programs online under http://www.pplelectric.com/billhelp. Read more about lowering your bill by shopping for a generation supplier at a lower rate under http://www.pplelectric.com/shopping.
We have an Energy Education team available weekdays 8am-5pm to discuss your usage concerns at 1-800-342-5775 (say Energy Education). Thank you.
Thank you for all your tips and suggestions. My condo was thrown up quickly and was poorly insulated. You given me some great tips in determining exactly where my air leaks are, and how to fix them.
The Energy Analyzer (https://www.pplelectric.com/analyze) link does not work.
It returns “This page can’t be displayed. Please contact support for assistance.”
Please share the correct link
I was looking for lower electric rates and received a post-card offer from a supplier named National Gas & Electric – offering lowest rate of 9.99/kWh…then I read the online reviews…oh my! Guess I dodged a bullet on that one. Your current rate (although higher that I would like) seems to be inline with the current pricing across the board. PPL makes me feel safe during storms…and I REALLY appreciate the decrease in outages…thank you for that! Here’s hoping rates take a turn-around.