You may not know this, but I’m pretty good with number-crunching on a calculator. I need one of those large, old-style calculators because it works better with my large paws, but I can still whip up a good budget when I need to. But when it comes to finding ways to save money on heating bills during the winter, I don’t need a calculator: I already know all the right techniques you can use to cut down on the cost of staying warm!
I’ve gathered some of my favorite tips on saving during the winter. A few of these will require the assistance of a team of Seymour, TN, HVAC professionals (by which I mean us!). Others you can get started on as soon as the temperatures drop. Let’s dive in.
ONE: Schedule professional heating maintenance!
Always, always, always! Whenever I give out tips for saving money with home comfort, I put regular maintenance at the top of my list because it truly is the best and most dependable way to prevent your energy costs from rising.
Maintenance is the most important service we offer, for many reasons, and one of them is that it will stop your heater from aging too fast and costing more to run than it should. If you haven’t scheduled maintenance with us yet, we’re waiting for your call!
TWO: Regularly change the heater’s air filter
This is another tip I often give because it’s easy to do—and also one that’s easy to forget! That filter on your HVAC system needs to be changed for a clean one every 1 to 6 months, depending on the strength of the filter you have. (I wrote a guide for this, so go check it out!) Keeping a clogged filter in place will make your heater work much harder, and that means steeper bills.
THREE: Lower the thermostat and keep it steady
Making your thermostat settings go up and down during the day like a yo-yo will force the heater to run harder, not better. Find a steady thermostat setting for the daytime when people are home and stick to it. In the evening or when the house is empty, lower it another 8°F. I highly recommend a daytime setting of 68°F. These settings can save you up to 20% off your annual heating bill compared to higher settings.
FOUR: Let the sun do some of the work
The sun is there and it doesn’t cost you anything to put it to work for you! Even on the coldest days, the sun’s radiant energy can deliver heat through windows, so keep your blinds and shutters open on windows facing toward the sun. You’ll help give your heater a break.
FIVE: Seal up heat leaks in your home
You want to keep as much heat trapped in your house as possible during winter so your heating system won’t have to continue to replace the escaped heat. Make sure you have windows caulked and weatherstripping around the doors. Close the flue in the fireplace when you’re not using it. Have new insulation put in the attic, which is a big area where heat gets out of your house.
Stay warm,
Olive