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Home heating during the winter is one of the most significant utility costs any homeowner will have. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between paying an excessively high utility bill and being constantly chilled. The overall condition of your house and its HVAC system in combination with your energy conservation habits can all affect your heating bill; but there are methods to make a positive impact on your energy use so you can reduce your heating costs. Here are six ways to lower your heating bill in the winter.
Turn Down Your Thermostat
Tweaking your thermostat setting can lead to a significant drop in your heating costs. Lowering the thermostat can help you save money on heating when you adjust your thermostat at times such as before bed and before you leave for work and school each morning. Setting the temperature in the lower 60s for any time when no one will be at home during the day is an easy, free way to achieve energy savings and a lower utility bill.
Get an Energy Audit
A home energy audit will uncover the areas in your house where you have heat loss and provide recommendations for addressing it, so you can lower your energy bill. You can conduct a basic do-it-yourself energy audit, but engaging a professional to conduct the audit will result in a more thorough and complete assessment. Further, a professional might be able to address some of the issues immediately following the audit.
Ensure Tight Window and Door Seals
Your home can lose heat through windows and doors, especially if they do not have tight seals. This common problem is easy to address by checking the seals early in the season for air leaks. If you feel cool air entering even slightly from around the windows or the bottom of doors, you might need to add extra weatherstripping or caulking for better insulation.
Seal Your Ducts
The HVAC ducts in your home can be a source of heat loss. You should inspect any accessible ductwork for air leaks—often the ducts in uninsulated areas like the attic, basement, or garage are culprits. The first fix to try for this issue is to seal your ducts around the joints using foil tape or mastic sealant to keep warm air from escaping, at least until you can have the ductwork assessed in case sections of it need to be completely replaced.
Use Ceiling Fans
Using ceiling fans during the winter is a good way to help distribute warm air throughout your home, reversing them so the blades turn clockwise. Using fans turning in a clockwise direction helps to pull the cooler air upward while pushing the warm air near the ceiling down along the walls and into the main space of each room. More evenly distributed warm air helps keep a balance, so your heat doesn’t have to turn on as often. So, using your ceiling fan in the winter can help lower your heating bill.
Maintain or Replace Your Heating System
Having your heating system serviced regularly will help with its efficiency. Maintenance is key to keeping your heater in top condition during the winter, so it functions at its best. Tune-ups and inspections of your heating system allow you to uncover issues early so they can be fixed before they require more extensive repair or full replacement. That said, if your heating system is too old to be as efficient as you want it to be, the best course of action might be to replace it with a high-efficiency system. In the long run, you will save more energy and therefore more money with such a system.
It is important to manage your energy consumption and maintain your HVAC system to keep your utility costs low. To discuss how to improve your home’s energy efficiency and reduce costs, call The Coolest, a professional HVAC maintenance and installation company based in Austin, Texas. The team of competent and experienced HVAC specialists at The Coolest is committed to providing expert advice and customized recommendations tailored to you and your home. Contact The Coolest today to discuss the best cool weather HVAC solutions for you.
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