How to Heat Your Home in Winter Without Wasting Electricity: Appliances, Costs and Safe Use

To reduce winter heating costs, start with the room you use and the appliance already in your home. Check its condition, the room's insulation and operating hours before deciding whether to buy anything else. A suitable, properly functioning air conditioner can be an economical heating choice, but the actual cost depends on the home, weather and how it is used.

The calculation is straightforward: electricity consumption in kilowatt‑hours multiplied by the price you pay per kilowatt‑hour. The harder part is knowing how much electricity the appliance actually consumes and how many hours it operates. The wattage on its label is a starting point, not necessarily a description of every moment during the evening.

This guide sets out a practical sequence for an Israeli household: define the space that needs heating, understand the differences between appliances, calculate an example using your own bill and adjust habits that waste energy. Savings should preserve a warm, safe home, particularly for older residents or people with health needs.

First decide which room needs heating

Write down where household members spend the colder hours. If everyone sits in the living room for two hours, that differs from a family using several rooms all evening. Defining the need helps establish whether the existing appliance is suitable and whether you are heating unused spaces too.

Check that windows and doors close properly and whether air is coming through gaps. Israel's Energy Ministry recommends improving sealing and making use of winter sunlight through windows. Start with a simple check of closures and seals, without immediately committing to renovation or new windows.

Do not obstruct ventilation openings required for safety, and do not turn energy saving into completely sealing an occupied space. Follow the appliance instructions and maintain appropriate ventilation. If there is dampness, a faulty window or an infrastructure problem, address the cause instead of repeatedly raising the heat to compensate.

Why air conditioners and radiators use energy differently

An air conditioner in heating mode works as a heat pump: it transfers heat from outside into the home through an appropriate refrigeration cycle. The US Department of Energy explains that transferring heat, rather than generating it through an electric heating element, allows heat pumps to operate more efficiently than traditional heating systems.

An electric radiator and a fan heater use resistance heating elements. They differ in heat distribution, comfort and response time, but the appliance name alone does not guarantee a lower bill. If two devices actually consume the same amount of electricity over the same period at the same tariff, their electricity cost is identical.

A radiator takes time to warm up, as the Health Ministry notes, while an air conditioner provides heating without an accessible hot appliance on the floor. However, buying and installing an air conditioner is a separate expense. If a suitable unit is already installed, check its performance before buying another appliance; if not, compare installation costs and expected use as well.

The Standards Institution of Israel notes that air conditioner selection depends on room size, insulation, windows, wall orientation and climate. In a particularly cold area, check that the manufacturer declares the unit suitable for expected outdoor temperatures. A high heating output on the packaging does not alone show how much electricity it will consume in your home.

Calculate the cost using your own bill

Find the unit price on your electricity bill. If it is stated in agorot, divide by 100 to obtain shekels. Use the price relevant to your plan on a consistent tax basis, and check whether any discount is limited to particular hours or a specific part of the bill.

For an appliance operating at constant power, divide its wattage by 1,000 and multiply by operating hours. A 2,000‑watt appliance running continuously for four hours consumes 8 kilowatt‑hours. If, purely for illustration, the price is NIS 0.60 per kilowatt‑hour, operating it costs NIS 4.80 a day.

Over 30 days of this use, the total is NIS 144. This is a calculation example, not a current electricity tariff or a forecast for a particular household. Replace NIS 0.60 with your own unit price and separately account for any fixed charge unrelated to the appliance's consumption.

If the same appliance runs for three hours instead of four, under the same assumptions, consumption is 6 kilowatt‑hours and the monthly cost is NIS 108. The difference is NIS 36. This demonstrates the effect of operating time, rather than recommending that heating be switched off while people still need it.

The thermostat changes the calculation

A radiator with a thermostat does not necessarily heat at full power for the entire time it is plugged in. An air conditioner also changes its operation depending on the model, requested temperature and room conditions. Multiplying maximum power by every hour connected can therefore produce an estimate above actual consumption.

With an air conditioner, it is particularly important not to confuse heating output with electrical input power. Both may appear in the specifications, but only electricity consumption directly relates to the bill calculation. When requesting a quote, ask for an explanation of consumption and the test conditions behind efficiency figures.

You can use consumption data from your bill or your supplier's digital service, if available. Remember that it may include the water heater, oven and other appliances. Higher evening consumption when several devices were running is not a separate measurement of the air conditioner.

Improve performance before raising the temperature

The Standards Institution recommends cleaning filters according to the manufacturer's instructions and checking that air intake and outlet openings are unobstructed. Before working on the appliance, follow its disconnection and safety instructions. If access is unsafe or the task requires unfamiliar dismantling, call a professional.

For air conditioner heating, the institution recommends directing airflow downward to help distribute warmth. Check that furniture is not blocking the airflow. A small change in room layout can be the first step before concluding that the appliance lacks power.

A room thermometer helps establish the temperature where people are sitting, rather than just the number on the remote. The Health Ministry's guidance for heating older adults' homes recommends keeping living spaces at 20 to 24 degrees Celsius. Where particular health needs exist, adapt heating to professional advice rather than a general savings target.

Different temperature recommendations are written for different audiences and purposes. There is little value in chasing a single number without checking whether the home is actually cold. Try a modest adjustment, check comfort and room temperature, and avoid operating several appliances simply because warmth has not yet spread.

Safety belongs in the financial decision

The Health Ministry and Fire and Rescue Services recommend safer heating methods such as air conditioners and radiators. According to the Health Ministry's safe heating guidance, each heater should be connected directly to an appropriate socket, without a power strip or extension cord, and kept away from flammable materials in accordance with safety and manufacturer instructions.

Do not put clothes or blankets on a radiator, fan heater or other heater, and do not use them to dry laundry. Check that the cord is undamaged and that the appliance can be positioned without obstructing a passage. A very hot plug, unusual smell or scorch marks require stopping use and obtaining a professional inspection.

Finally, keep a short record for a week of the room heated, hours of use and setting chosen. Select one change to test, such as repairing a seal or aligning operating hours with occupancy. This helps reveal what works without buying several appliances at once or attributing every bill change to an untested cause.