Can houseplants reduce energy bills? The eco-friendly impact on heating, humidity and air quality costs

• Discover how houseplants might impact your home’s energy costs this winter
• Can plants help balance indoor humidity naturally or purify indoor air?
• Are they cost-effective versus household appliances designed for air quality?

Houseplants have long been loved for their beauty and the touch of nature they bring to indoor spaces.

But beyond aesthetics, many people have started wondering if plants can help reduce energy costs, especially during a time of rising utilities costs.

As bills creep up and winter approaches, exploring natural alternatives to dehumidifying and air purification like plants is an appealing idea. But can houseplants help with heating bills and save money on dehumidifiers or air purifiers? Let’s dive in, and see what benefits houseplants may or may not bring.

Do houseplants help with heating bills?

The short answer is, while houseplants play a role in humidity and air quality, when it comes to directly helping with heating bills, their impact is limited.

Certain types (like thick-leafed succulents) may block minor drafts if strategically placed.

But realistically, houseplants can’t directly insulate homes, and won’t provide measurable insulation compared to traditional techniques like weatherproofing windows or adding insulation to walls.

Do houseplants help reduce humidity?

Generally, houseplants actually add to the humidity levels of a space, but as we head into winter, that can be a good thing.

Plants release moisture through a process called transpiration, where water moves from the soil through the plant and evaporates into the air from the leaves.

During the winter, indoor air can become dry due to heating systems, which often reduces comfort levels and may encourage people to increase the heat.

By adding moisture to the air, plants can make it feel warmer, which might make you feel comfortable at a slightly lower temperature.

Theoretically, if plants improve humidity levels and help air feel warmer, you might adjust your thermostat down by a degree or two.

But this effect is minimal, and you would need many plants to make a noticeable difference. One or two plants aren’t likely to have a noticeable impact on temperature regulation.

On the other hand, if you are looking to dehumidify a space, certain species like peace lilies and ferns can absorb moisture from the air, and can help stabilise indoor humidity levels.

A combination of moisture-absorbing plants could contribute to a more balanced humidity level, potentially reducing the need for dehumidifiers, but if your home has serious humidity problems, houseplants alone won’t suffice.

Even though they contribute to moisture regulation, they are not as effective as dehumidifiers designed specifically for that purpose.

Can houseplants clean the air?

The idea that houseplants improve indoor air quality became popular after a NASA study in the 1980s suggested that plants could remove toxins from the air.

But since then, further research has shown that while plants can absorb some toxins, the amount they remove in an average home is minimal.

NASA’s research was specific to enclosed spaces like a space station, where a high concentration of plants can have a noticeable effect.

But in a home, you would need a large number of plants to achieve measurable air purification results - far more than would be practical for most people

For a typical one-bedroom apartment, you'd need around 10-15 medium-sized plants to notice any air-purifying benefits, but even then, the impact would be modest.

A two-bedroom home might need at least 20-30 plants to see minimal improvements in air quality, while a three-bedroom house would require over 30-50 plants to have a more meaningful effect.

For most households, it’s more effective to invest in air purifiers if air quality is a concern, as they are specifically designed to remove pollutants, allergens and toxins more efficiently.

Are houseplants cheaper than dehumidifiers or air purifiers?

On a financial level, plants may seem like an inexpensive solution compared to appliances, but there are a few things to consider.

Buying multiple houseplants, pots and soil can add up, and if you’re looking to add 20+ plants to a larger home, it could cost hundreds of pounds.

Plants also need care, including regular watering, fertiliser and sometimes pest control - while these costs are generally low, they do add up over time.

Conversely, dehumidifiers and air purifiers can range in cost but tend to be much more effective at what they do.

Small dehumidifiers use around 200-300 watts per hour, while a typical air purifier uses between 50 and 200 watts. If used only when necessary, these devices shouldn’t significantly impact energy bills.

But houseplants are still great, and while their ability to improve humidity and air quality or reduce heating bills is modest at best, especially in larger spaces, they still enhance indoor spaces and support a relaxing atmosphere.

Are houseplants part of your strategy for a cosy, cost-effective home? We’d love to hear how you’re using plants to enhance your space, manage humidity or improve air quality. Join the conversation in the comments section.