When the weather gets colder outside, many homeowners switch their heating systems on to remain comfortable and safe. Unfortunately, running your home’s heating system can lead to high wintertime energy bills. Fortunately, there are many great things you can do to help reduce your heating bills this upcoming winter season.
Get Professional Maintenance Service
One of the best ways to save is by scheduling professional maintenance services. Our technicians will examine your entire system and ensure it’s working at its peak efficiency level. When your furnace works efficiently, you can ensure you’re not wasting excess money on utility bills.
Seal Off Air Leaks
Air leaks are one of the biggest problems homeowners have when heating their homes. Even small leaks around your door and window frames can let cold air seep into your home and affect the overall temperature. Your heating system will have to run longer to combat all that cold air. To prevent this heat loss, it’s best to seal up all air leaks. You can do this with caulking and weather stripping. Pay close attention to the outlets and light switches on your exterior walls since they may also allow cold air to find its way in.
Allow Direct Sunlight in Your Home
Sunlight is a free heat source that every homeowner should be utilizing. Be sure to open up your curtains and blinds during the daylight hours to allow natural sunlight to penetrate your home. It’s very common for direct sunlight to heat a room by 10 degrees or more. Using all that natural heat, you can warm your indoor environment to a comfortable temperature without constantly running your heating system.
Use a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to save money on your heating bills is to be more efficient with your heating system usage. A great tool for doing this is a smart thermostat. This type of thermostat allows you to program in different temperatures based on the day of the week and the time of the day. You can easily alter settings from the convenience of your smartphone and monitor your energy usage in real time. Some newer smart thermostats will even learn your behavior and automatically set more efficient schedules to reduce energy usage and enhance comfort.
Use Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are one of the best things to pair with your heating system for optimal efficiency. Consider getting a ceiling fan for each main room of your home, even including your bedrooms. The idea is to have the fans spin clockwise to force air at the top of the room outward and back down to the floor. Ceiling fans essentially recirculate hot air so that you can continually use the heat in your home instead of continually running your heating system to warm up.
Consider a Whole-Home Humidifier
While no one wants excess moisture during the summertime because it leads to overly hot and uncomfortable environments, humidity can be helpful in the wintertime. This is, of course, when it’s at a safe level between 30 and 50%. Moisture helps heat to stay in the air for longer. If you opt to add a whole-home humidifier to your home, it can allow you to ensure that the humidity level stays at a comfortable level.
A room that has an appropriate humidity is going to feel warmer than a room that does not. Thanks to a whole-home humidifier, you’ll feel more comfortable in winter without turning the thermostat up. What you’ll notice is that you’ll likely find that you can turn the thermostat down a couple of degrees and reduce your energy usage.
Beef Up Your Insulation
Insulation is an absolute necessity for any well-functioning home. It acts as a barrier that is resistant to temperature changes. All insulation is given in an R-value with a higher number attributed to more temperature resistance. When there is adequate insulation between the inside of your home and the outdoors, you can keep more of your heat inside during the winter. If your existing insulation is non-existent or doesn’t meet the minimum R-value for your area, it’s time to consider beefing up your insulation.
Keep Up With Filter Changes
Your heating system has a filter to help catch airborne particles before they enter the system’s internal components. While this component is great for extending the longevity of your heating system and increasing the air quality inside your home, it can also be a double-edged sword when it gets dirty. A dirty air filter makes it much harder for your heating system to pull air through and will cause a major strain on its components. Additionally, this will lead to inefficient system operation and higher energy bills. The best way to avoid this problem is to regularly check your filter at least once a month and replace it when necessary.
Get Duct Sealing Service
If you have a forced-air heating system, then the state of your ductwork will have a big impact on the overall efficiency of your heating system. Over time, ductwork can develop leaks due to the expansion and contraction of the metal. Anywhere that your ducting is leaking will allow your hot air to escape into the wall or floor cavity. This leaves your heating system running overtime to compensate for the heat loss from your ducting. Investing in duct sealing services is one of the best ways to combat this problem. This is where an HVAC professional will assess all the components of your ductwork and seal up any leaks to ensure that all the hot air your heating system produces makes it to the rooms of your home.
Strategically Place Blankets
One smaller thing you can do to help turn down the temperature on your thermostat a degree or two is to be strategic with where you place your blankets. Have a blanket available at locations like your living room couch where you can easily grab it and cover it up instead of turning up the thermostat. Furthermore, consider investing in down comforters and other types of blankets that promote optimal warmth.
Consider a System Upgrade
If your existing heating system is more than 10 years old, it may be time to consider a new one. Heating systems produced today are more efficient than those made only 10 years ago. Furthermore, there are high-efficiency options that cost a little more but allow you to have cheaper energy bills over the system’s lifespan. If possible, opt for a cheap fuel source like natural gas or propane. Electricity is the most expensive fuel to run for any heating system.
Expert Heating Maintenance Service
Accurate Home Services offers expert heating maintenance service to the Crandall, TX, community. We can also help with all your cooling, heating, electrical, and indoor air quality needs. Call our office today to schedule your next heating service consultation with one of our friendly technicians.
