Are you dreading winter heating bills? There are a number of energy-efficient ways you can lower your heating bill. Let’s have a look at some of them so you can put them into practice and realize HVAC savings.
Tips to Help You Achieve HVAC Savings This Winter
Air Seal Your Home
One of the main ways energy is wasted in your home is through air leaks. Conditioned air leaks out of minute cracks in various locations, while unconditioned air enters the home and makes your heating system work harder to achieve the thermostat’s set points. To increase HVAC savings, go around baseboards, door and window frames, and the attic hatch and add insulation, caulk, or weatherstripping as needed. You might also add foam gaskets to electrical switch plates; then, insulate pipes, wiring, and cables in exterior walls so air doesn’t leak through the holes.
Use a Space Heater
Maybe you don’t use that many rooms in your home in the winter. If so, you might turn the thermostat down a few degrees, put on layers of clothing, and just use space heaters to warm up the rooms you do spend time in. Look for one of the newer models, which can be more efficient.
Set the Thermostat a Few Degrees Lower Than You’re Used To
As mentioned above, you can set the thermostat down a few degrees to save money. If you have a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat, set it so the thermostat is lowered at night and when you are away from home during the day, when it’s not necessary to keep the home as warm.
Get a Heating-System Checkup
Whether you have a furnace, a heat pump, or baseboard heating, you can achieve HVAC savings by ensuring your heating system is well maintained. Schedule a checkup in the fall. For a gas furnace, it’s important to not only realize HVAC savings by ensuring it is running efficiently but also to make sure that all connections, the flue, and other equipment that distributes and exhausts fumes are checked to make sure the system is operating safely and without carbon monoxide leaks.
For more on HVAC savings, contact Ace Hardware Home Services.
