During the winter, you may be able to save on your heating bills by using a programmable thermostat and not keeping your home too toasty and warm while everyone is gone for the day. When your kids are home for winter break, however, you'll obviously need to keep the house warm all day long. This can cause your heating bills to rise, but there are a few tips that you can follow to help keep your bills to a minimum.

1. Invest in Space Heaters

Have you considered investing in space heaters? These small electric heaters aren't the best for keeping the whole house warm, but they're great for supplemental heat. If you invest in one for each of your kid's rooms, you can keep the whole-house temperature a little bit lower while still keeping your kids nice and toasty when they're sleeping or playing in their rooms.

2. Encourage Your Kids to Keep the Doors Closed

It can be tempting for kids to run in and out of the house when they're home. However, each time that the doors are opened, your kids are letting out precious heat and are bringing down the temperature inside of your house, causing your furnace to work that much harder. Encourage your kids to keep the doors closed as much as possible and to only head outside when they're planning on staying out and playing in the snow for a while.

3. Encourage Your Kids to Dress in Layers

Your little ones may want to lounge around in their pajamas all day while they're home for winter break, but encouraging them to dress in layers can be a better option. If they're dressed warmly, they will still stay nice and cozy when the heater isn't on full blast. Plus, they'll be ready to go outside and play at any moment. Another good option is to keep throw blankets around your home, such as on your couches and in your kids' bedrooms. Then, when they're feeling a little chilly, they can wrap up in a warm and cozy blanket.

As you can see, it's entirely possible to lower your heating bills when your kids are home for winter break. Although you might have to run the heat a little more than you would when no one is at home, you still shouldn't have to face overly high heating bills if you follow these simple tips. For more ideas, contact companies like Allied Mechanical & Electrical, Inc.