3 Reasons Your Heating Bill Is Higher Than It Should Be -- and How to Get That Money Back

As a homeowner, you have to grapple with a host of expenses -- things like mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance. Plus, there's the cost of utility bills.

Sometimes, as a renter, you can get your landlord to cover that expense. But when you own a home, the money has to come out of your own bank account. So it's important to do what you can to keep those bills to a minimum.

Meanwhile, depending on the size and layout of your home and where you live, you may find that your heating bill is growing more and more exorbitant by the year. Part of that could be due to an uptick in energy costs on a macro level. But part of it might be that you're not managing your usage or system as efficiently as you could be.

With that in mind, here are a few reasons you may be paying more to heat your home these days -- and what to do about them.

1. You're not changing your filters often enough

If you have a newer heating system, changing your filter on it once at the start of winter may be enough to keep it running smoothly. But for an older system, or a system that constantly has to pump heat from mid-October through April, a single filter swap may not suffice.

If you're not sure whether your heating system's filter needs to be replaced midway through the season, there's an easy way to find out -- pull it out and take a look at it. If it's loaded with gunk, it's time for a new one. From there, you're looking at somewhere in the ballpark of $20 to potentially get your system to run more efficiently, thereby lowering your costs.

2. You're running the heat at times when you're not home

It's one thing to crank up the heat when you're home for the evening and don't want to spend hours walking around in a wearable blanket (though there are worse things than that). But it's another thing to run the heat at full power when you're not in the house.

Be mindful of adjusting your thermostat so you're not warming your space at times when it doesn't make sense to do so. You may also want to invest in a programmable thermostat (here's an example), so you can have an easier time adjusting your heat. With one of these, you can, for example, lower the heat when you're out for the day but set it to come back on from your phone when you're about an hour from returning, so your home isn't frigid when you first walk in.

3. Your windows are letting in too much cold air

Your heating system may be working its hardest to warm up your space. But if you have older windows that aren't well-sealed, you may be letting that warm air out -- and allowing cold air to seep in.

Luckily, there's a simple solution, and it doesn't involve the expense of having your windows replaced. Just buy some weatherstripping tape at your local hardware store (here's an example) and run it along your windows to seal up cracks and prevent drafts. It's not expensive, and you can do the same for things like sliding doors, where warm air may be escaping.

Another option is to put up plastic sheeting over windows -- it's not the most attractive fix, but if you don't like a cold wind in your living room, it will definitely help. You can purchase a kit with pre-cut sheets of plastic and tape for just a few dollars at a hardware store.

The last thing you want to do is spend more than you have to on heating bills. These tips might lower your costs -- and also help make your home more comfortable.