How To Lower Energy Costs During Wisconsin’s Darkest Month

December brings short days, long nights, and heavy furnace use across Wisconsin. With less natural light and colder temperatures, many homeowners see their utility bills rise faster than expected. Knowing how to lower winter energy costs makes your home more comfortable and keeps monthly spending under control.

At Niebuhr Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning, we help La Crosse homeowners manage heating costs without sacrificing comfort. These simple daily habits and system adjustments create meaningful savings throughout the darkest month of the year.

Use Your Thermostat Strategically

Your thermostat is the most powerful tool for keeping energy use under control.

Lower it slightly at night.
Dropping your thermostat 3–5 degrees while you sleep cuts heating costs without making mornings uncomfortable.

Avoid big temperature swings.
Maintaining steady heat is more efficient than constantly raising and lowering it.

Use a programmable or smart thermostat.
These devices adjust temperatures automatically based on your schedule, which helps lower winter energy costs with no extra effort.

Seal Drafts to Keep Heat Inside

Cold air leaks around windows, doors, and flooring make your furnace work harder.

• Add weatherstripping to older doors.
• Use caulk to seal gaps around window frames.
• Place draft blockers under exterior doors.

Stopping air leaks can reduce heat loss significantly and improve overall comfort.

Replace Your Furnace Filter

A clogged filter reduces airflow and forces your furnace to use more energy. Changing your filter every 1-6 months, depending on the filter you have, promotes better indoor air quality and ensures your furnace is running efficiently.

Let the Sun Heat Your Home Naturally

Even in December, sunlight can warm your home more than you might expect.

• Open curtains during the day on south-facing windows
• Close them at night to keep heat inside

This simple habit lowers reliance on your furnace and helps lower winter energy costs.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Warm air rises. Setting your ceiling fans to turn clockwise on low speed pushes warm air down into living spaces. This allows your furnace to cycle less frequently.

Unblock Your Vents and Radiators

Furniture, blankets, and curtains often block vents without homeowners realizing it. This disrupts airflow and makes heating uneven.

• Move furniture away from vents
• Keep baseboard heaters clear
• Vacuum dust from vent covers

Better airflow means better efficiency.

Limit Hot Water Use

Water heating accounts for a large portion of winter utility costs.

• Take shorter showers
• Wash laundry with cold water
• Avoid running multiple hot-water appliances at once

Lowering your water heater temperature to 120°F also reduces energy use safely.

Reduce Phantom Energy Use

Electronics and chargers still draw power even when not in use.

• Unplug small appliances
• Use power strips to turn off multiple items at once
• Shut down computers instead of putting them to sleep

These small steps add up over an entire month.

Cook and Bake Efficiently

Holiday cooking creates extra heat. Use it to your advantage!

• Avoid opening the oven door repeatedly
• Bake multiple dishes at the same time
• Let the oven heat warm your kitchen after cooking (if safe for your setup)

Using the heat from daily cooking helps the furnace cycle less.

Check Attic, Basement, and Garage Insulation

Poor insulation is one of the top reasons homes lose heat in December.

• Add insulation to attic floors
• Seal rim joists in the basement
• Insulate garage doors if they share a wall with the home

Improved insulation reduces heat loss and protects plumbing from freezing.

Use LED Lighting During Darker Days

Short daylight hours mean more lighting use. Switching to LEDs cuts energy costs significantly and produces less heat, which helps keep your furnace from overworking.

Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up

Well-maintained equipment uses less energy. A professional tune-up:

• Cleans burners
• Tests safety controls
• Improves airflow
• Identifies efficiency issues

Annual maintenance helps your system operate at peak performance during the months when it works hardest.

Pay Attention to Unused Rooms

If certain rooms are rarely used, close the doors to reduce the area your furnace needs to heat. Leave vents open to avoid system pressure issues, but focus warmth where you spend the most time.

What This Means for Your Home

Putting several of these habits together can significantly lower winter energy costs, even during the darkest month of the year. None require major renovations or expensive equipment—small, consistent actions make a noticeable difference. With lower heat loss, better airflow, and smarter thermostat use, your furnace can work more efficiently and keep your home consistently warm.

For help improving your home’s winter efficiency, scheduling furnace maintenance, or addressing heating issues, contact Niebuhr in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Call 608-782-1700 or visit niebuhrplumbing.com/contact to schedule service.