7 Home Heating Hacks That Can Save You Hundreds Of Dollars

While buying an energy-efficient home heating system is undoubtedly an important step towards saving big on your home heating bills, that’s just one of the many things you need to do to save on your heating costs. For instance, you must also ensure proper insulation, regular maintenance, timely heater repairs, and more. And while the savings might seem insignificant from a monthly point of view, we bet they will add up to a few hundred dollars in the long run. On that note, here’s a list of some easy home heating hacks you must implement without further ado.

Make Sure The Doors And Windows Are Closed

One of the most common reasons why people incur hefty heating bills is that they don’t shut their doors and windows properly. This leads to significant heat loss and reduced heating. As a result, the furnace has to work longer to heat a given space, leading to high energy consumption and hefty energy bills. So it is important to ensure that your doors and windows are properly closed when the heating is on.

Don’t Crank Up The Thermostat

Another common reason for energy consumption is that many of us tend to crank up the thermostat, assuming it will accelerate the heating process. But the fact is that cranking up the thermostat doesn’t make your furnace work faster. Instead, it just extends the run time, leading to higher energy bills and making a home uncomfortably warm. And the worst part is that it leads to an overworked furnace, thereby increasing the wear and tear.

Replace/Clean The Air Filters Regularly

Replacing or cleaning the air filters on a regular basis is one of the easiest and quickest ways to ensure that your system doesn’t consume unnecessary power. Refer to the manufacturer’s manual to determine how often you should clean/replace your air filter. Remember, an air filter with high MERV may offer better filtration, but it might lead to high operating costs because of reduced airflow. Therefore, it is important that you choose the right air filter with the recommended MERV.

Pay Attention To The Leaks

While you might be locking your doors and windows properly, some gaps or leaks could lead to heat loss. Make sure you seal all the gaps that allow the cold air to come in and let the warm air out. Note - The attic and the basement are one of the most leak-prone areas in any home, so it is important to ensure they are properly sealed. Hire a reputable Heating Service Company in Cumming, to ensure all leaks are sealed, and your home is properly insulated. This will help you make substantial savings on your heating bills.

Don’t Close The Vents In Unoccupied Rooms

A common misconception that many of us have is that closing the heating vents in an unoccupied room helps save on heating bills. However, the fact is that closing the vents while the heating system is still on leads to increased pressure on the furnace, which further results in higher operating costs. Most importantly, closing the vents increases the risk of damage to the heat exchanger and the release of carbon monoxide gas. So, hack number five is to keep the vents open in rooms that are not being used.

Ensure Regular Furnace Maintenance

Regular furnace maintenance not only helps ensure high efficiency and seamless performance but also leads to reduced heating bills. During furnace maintenance, the furnaces are thoroughly cleaned and properly calibrated, which helps ensure optimal power consumption and reduced energy bills. On the other hand, a dirty furnace is one of the main causes of unexpected breakdowns or part failures, reduced airflow, and other such problems. We suggest that you opt for a heater preventive maintenance plan wherein the heating services provider will send you a reminder whenever a furnace service is due.

Reset Your Thermostat When Away or Asleep

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends resetting the thermostat when you are not home or asleep. Resetting the thermostat back by 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day can help cut down the energy bills by around 10%. They recommend setting the temperature to around 68°F when awake and setting it at around 60°-61°F when nobody’s home or during the night when everyone’s asleep. To reset your thermostat automatically, it’s important to install a programmable thermostat in case your system doesn’t have one already.

Note - Homes that are located in areas that experience a milder climate tend to benefit more from the temperature setback as compared to the ones located in areas with severe climates.

Final Word

These are some of the many home heating hacks that can help you make substantial savings on your monthly energy bills. We hope you will implement them and save on your monthly heating bills. And if you are looking for a Heating Repair Cumming, GA, we at Staton Heating & Air, Inc. have your back. We offer a wide array of air conditioning and heating services ranging from AC installation to heater maintenance to heater service and more. To schedule an appointment, call us.