The cost of heating your home is considerable. Whether your heating system is new or old, gas or electric, the impact on your utility bills can be significant. Even with an extremely efficient new heater, you might be wishing you didn’t have to pay as much for heat.
In order to keep your energy costs as low as they can be, we’d like to share some tips for getting the most heat for the least expense.
Have Annual Maintenance Done
Of course there is a cost to a maintenance appointment, but did you know that without maintenance, your heating system’s efficiency drops significantly every year? Keeping everything in tip-top shape means using less fuel to get the job done.
Change Your HVAC Air Filter
While most maintenance should be done by a professional, changing your filter is something you can do yourself. And if you do it every 1–3 months, your heater won’t be working extra hard to pull air through a filter clogged with a thick layer of dust. This means increased efficiency, as well as decreased wear and tear on your system, so you’ll need to make fewer repair calls and your heater’s life expectancy will go up. If you’re unsure how to do this, reach out to an expert who can help you with your HVAC system in Monroe, GA.
Adjust the Thermostat When You’re Away
Make sure you’re not keeping an empty house toasty warm for several hours every day. With many thermostats, you can program them to lower the temperature at the time when you leave for work and raise it again before you get home. With a smart thermostat, you can even adjust the temperature from anywhere with an app on your phone! But even with the oldest dial thermostats, it’s worth lowering the temperature before you leave. And overnight, you may be perfectly happy with the house five or even ten degrees lower than when you’re up and about.
Lower the Temperature Just a Little
We’re not suggesting you freeze yourself until you have to wear three sweaters. But it may be that you can drop the temp by a couple of degrees and still be perfectly comfortable, especially if you follow the next tip.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
Heat rises, and unless you’re Spider-Man, you all that warmth up by the ceiling won’t benefit you. Make sure your ceiling fan rotates clockwise, which will push heated air downward, and use it to ensure that you get to enjoy that heat.
Allow for Passive Solar Gain
When the sun is hitting a window, be sure the blinds or curtains are open. This will warm your home just like a greenhouse.
Seal Up Leaks
Storm windows, plastic seals for over windows, caulk or foam weather stripping for loose spots in window and door frames where drafts blow in, felt strips for the bottom of doors, or door snakes can all be used to make sure that the heat stays in and the cold stays out.
Reach out to Wall Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. for all your HVAC needs.