Rising oil prices mean higher heating bills. Here's what you can do to lower your bills

With America’s attention so tightly focused on the rapidly rising cost of gas at the pumps, it’s easy to get blindsided by the unexpected cost of other petroleum products. For instance, the average home tank holds 275 gallons of oil. With this being the case, it is not unreasonable to worry that your next delivery could cost $500 more than the last time you received oil. While it is too late to save the oil you burned in the past, there are many things you can do to reduce your oil consumption moving forward. Here are a few tips on what you can do to lower your bills.

What causes high heating bills?

To heat your home, you need two things: an efficient source of heat and an insulated home with no leaks. If your heater isn’t efficient at turning fuel into heat and dispersing it evenly throughout your home, your heating bill will be higher than it needs to be. Similarly, if the walls of your home aren't insulated or there are leaks around the doors and windows, your heater will work harder than it needs to work — producing heat that is just escaping into the environment — and your energy bill will be higher.

5 quick tips to lower home heating costs

• Look for spiderwebs. Spiders build their webs in drafty areas. Wherever you find a spiderweb, chances are it is a place you can patch up to help seal in heat.
• Add weatherstripping to your doors and windows. One of the quickest and easiest ways to lower your heating bill is to seal the leaks around your doors and windows with weatherstripping.
• Change the air filter in your heater. A dirty air filter makes your heater work harder. If you haven’t changed your furnace filter in a couple of months, now’s the time.
• Consider window film. A thin layer of film applied to your windows acts as insulation and can lower your heating bills in the colder months.
• Unblock your heat registers. If you have a large piece of furniture, such as a couch or a cabinet, blocking a heat register, hot air will not circulate efficiently around your home. This may tempt you to raise your thermostat and raise the cost of your heating bill.

Does smart heating save money?

A smart thermostat turns the heat on when you need it. More importantly, it turns the heat off when you don’t. This may seem like a small feat, but it has a big impact on your overall heating bill. You wouldn’t leave your stove on all day long when you only needed to cook occasionally. That’s what it is like when you don’t have a smart thermostat.

What you need to lower your heating bills

Google Nest Learning Thermostat

This smart thermostat actually learns your habits and programs itself. It can create the ideal environment when you are home and save you money when you’re not.

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Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat

The Emerson Sensi Touch is Energy Star-certified. The flexible scheduling and remote access let you customize your home heating to save money.

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Vornado Whole Room Air Circulator Tower Fan

This air-circulator fan disperses heat throughout a room to ensure there are no cold spots. This allows you to keep your thermostat set lower while actually feeling warmer.

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Black+Decker Portable Space Heater

Having a portable space heater means you do not have to heat the entire house just so one room feels a little more toasty. This Black+Decker model is ideal for small spaces, such as an office or bedroom.

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3M Outdoor 2-Window Insulation Kit

This handy insulation kit from 3M reduces condensation and heating costs while preventing frost buildup. This installation is easy enough for a DIYer to have success.

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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.