How to Save Money and Energy on Your Heating Bill

In the winter, many people worry about how to lower their heating bills. There are plenty of ways to save energy and cut down on those costs. Here are some good options.

  1. Set your thermostat on a reasonable temperature. In the winter, a good temperature to set the thermostat on is 72. This will warm your home, but you will not have to worry about the heating cost going up from constant use
  2. Close the vents to any unused rooms. If the room is not being used, it is cheaper to close the vents and door to the room than to than to continue heating it.
  3. Use insulated draperies on your windows.
  4. Make sure that there are no gaps around doors or windows. Gaps will allow warm air to leak out and cold air to get in. Install new weather stripping where gaps are found.
  5. Get a thermostat that is programmable. This will allow you to set it to turn the heat down when you are not home or when you are sleeping. This can drastically lower a bill, because it will keep the heat from running unnecessarily. 
  6. Change your filter. If the filter is dirty, it will make the furnace work harder and that will cost you more money.

By following these few simple tips, you will find that there is less energy and money being required to keep your home warm. You don’t need to sacrifice dollars to stay comfortable in your home if you learn to operate your heating system efficiently.

Is It Time to Replace Your Furnace?

The typical property owner doesn’t consider replacing their furnace until after it quits working and they are confronted with the costs related to significant furnace repairs versus installing a brand new furnace. Unfortunately, that scenario leaves the property owner with little time to research their options before making a decision as to what furnace to purchase and which contractor to use for the installation. A preferred scenario is to evaluate your heating system before you reach that point, so you have time to research and compare your options. This also gives you time to prepare for the purchase financially.

Avoiding costly repairs isn’t the only reason to consider replacing your furnace. Upgrading your heating system to a newer, more energy efficient system can provide you with savings on your heating costs as well.

There are several considerations to keep in mind as you contemplate replacement of your existing heating system. First, do you simply want to upgrade to a newer more efficient system of the same type or do you want to change your type of heating system altogether? Just because your home currently uses electrical baseboard heat doesn’t mean that is your only option. Conversely, if you now have a forced air gas furnace, it doesn’t mean that is your only option for replacement. Take the time to consider all of your options, the costs involved in replacement and also the potential energy savings with each of those options.

Being proactive and making a decision about furnace replacement before you ‘have to’ can be one of the wisest decisions a property owner can make. It relieves you of that last minute pressure and allows you the time to make an informed decision and to schedule that replacement at a time that is convenient for you, as well.

Fall Heating and Cooling Service

Fall is almost here and now is a great time to have your heating system serviced by a good HVAC technician to get it ready for winter.  Your HVAC system needs regular maintenance for best performance and the experts recommend having your system serviced twice a year to keep it operating efficiently and to maximize its service life.

You probably haven’t given much thought to your furnace since last spring.  Your HVAC technician will re-light your pilot light if necessary and start your system to ensure that it comes on line and operates normally. He or she will also inspect and replace the filter if necessary, check the burners and heat exchangers for cracks, corrosion and wear, check electrical connections, and ensure that your thermostat is operating properly.  In a gas furnace, a cracked heat exchanger is a serious problem because it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

If you have a heat pump or a central air conditioning system, the system pressure will be checked and the refrigerant topped up if necessary.  The evaporator and condenser coils will be cleaned the heat pump will be run in heat mode to make sure the reversing valve works properly.

During the heating season, be sure to check and change your furnace or heat pump filters regularly.  Once a month is usually sufficient unless you have a lot of pets or live in a dusty environment.  Clogged air filters make the system work harder to heat and cool your home.  This not only wastes energy, but it’s also hard on your heating and cooling equipment.  Inexpensive pleated filters will protect your system better than standard fiberglass filters while allowing plenty of air flow.