With winter just around the corner, many Jonesboro households are bracing for those high winter heating bills that can cripple the household budget. Sure, you expect to see an increase in the utility bill when you regularly start using your heating system. But when that makes your bill go from reasonable to triple digits, you need to discover ways of heating your home this winter and for years to come more cost-effectively. And as our tips will demonstrate, you need to get creative.
Your Furnace
If your furnace is decades old, it is sure to be anything but energy efficient. And that is the second most common reason for a furnace replacement. The top reason to get a new furnace is that your current unit has failed. But a close second is that your old furnace costs too much to operate. While considering your different options, be sure to look for the Energy Star logo. This label is not a brand but more of a rating system. Any device or appliance that displays the Energy Star logo means that it has been independently tested and found to be far more energy-efficient than its peers. As a result, homeowners report exciting savings on their heating bills after installing a new Energy Star rated furnace.
There Is Plenty Of Blame To Share
Your old furnace might be doing as well as could be expected for its age. But there could be another significant contributor to those hefty heating bills. Your home could be letting all of that warm air escape through leaking windows, doors and because of poor insulation. Check all of the doors and windows in your home to ensure that there are no air gaps that could be stealing your warm air and hard-earned money.
Also, be sure to close the curtains and blinds when the sun goes down to add extra insulation to help keep your home warm at night. However, during the day, open any blinds or curtains for windows receiving direct sunlight. The added warmth of the sun will help heat your house for free during the daytime.
Other Energy Consumption Increases
You might not think of your washer and dryer as big energy consumers at any time of the year. But remember that in the winter, you are washing and drying more clothing and much bulkier items. Gone are the shorts and t-shirts of summer. And they are replaced with heavy, long pants and big sweaters and sweatshirts. These take more energy to dry. So try to be as efficient as possible when washing and drying clothes in the winter.
Save Money When You Are Away
One of the best ways to save on your heating cost is to drop the temperature in your house when no one is at home. However, it can be hard to remember to reset the thermostat when racing off to work. But installing a programmable thermostat can make that energy-saving very easy. Just set the program to drop the temp in the house when everyone leaves for the day and return it to the typical setting right before you get home.
In addition, you can set a program to decrease the temperature after everyone is asleep for added savings. Dropping just a few degrees when asleep and away from home can reduce your heating cost by as much as 10%, and you don’t sacrifice any comfort.
Call (870) 273-8056 if you need an evaluation of your furnace or have questions about service or installing a programmable thermostat. The certified experts at Elite Climate Control Heat & Air are here 24/7 to handle any heating emergency this winter or provide fully warrantied service and repairs.