How to Lower Your Heating Bills This Fall

It’s so easy to notice a great hike in your heating bill as the temperature begins to get colder. That’s because your furnace works hard in keeping you and your family warm and cozy. Many homeowners try to keep their temperature to 68 degrees, trying to minimize their heating bills. Unfortunately, there is no truth to this belief. In fact, the U. S. Department of Energy states that as you bring down the temperature, the slower your house will lose the heat.

If you are looking to see a significant plunge in your heating bills, you have to keep the thermostat about 10-15 degrees for stretches of eight hours — for instance, when you’re away or asleep.

Four Seasons Air Specialists is a trusted heating company in White Bear Lake MN that can help you properly maintain your furnace, increasing its efficiency and guaranteeing its operational safety.

If you want to lower your heating bills this season and the next, consider these simple tips.

Enhance Your Home’s Insulation

Improperly insulated homes can easily waste energy in both heating and cooling by allowing heat transfer. Given that energy costs are already high these days, the lost heat could cost you hundreds of dollars per year and cause your furnace or air conditioner work harder than it should.

Not only does properly insulating your home using the right materials can save you money, it can also reduce the strain on your HVAC equipment. Also, by using certain types of insulation can also qualify you for federal credits and save you money when the tax season kicks in.

Upgrade to Smart Thermostats

Did you know that your thermostat can help you lower your energy consumption? While a regular thermostat lets you control your home’s indoor climate, a smart thermostat can do that too, on top of many other things. Smart thermostats have the ability to keep your home comfortable in the most efficient ways. With the use of modern technologies like Wi-Fi, these gadgets let you easily control the temperature of your home from practically anywhere — as long as you have your Wi-Fi-enabled device with you.

Another helpful benefit of upgrading to a smart thermostat is the ability to lower your household energy usage by offering energy reports, which give you real-time data on how much energy you’re using throughout the month. With this information made known to you, a smart thermostat aids in the development of more sustainable habits in terms of managing your indoor temperature.

Manage Your Filters

A clogged filter can cause some serious damage to your HVAC system. Dirt and neglect are two of the most common causes of HVAC equipment failure, yet such problems can be easily prevented.

Changing your air filters regularly ensures cleaner, safer, and healthier indoor air. It also protects your furnace or air conditioner from untimely breakdown. In addition, cleaning out or replacing a clogged filter will help you save a significant amount on operating costs. A clean filter uses less energy than a dirty, old one. This alone can result in up to 15 percent of savings on your monthly utility costs.

HVAC Zone Your Home

Zoning is a method by which you can control the temperature in individual rooms of your home. Since not all rooms are used at the same time, those highly trafficked areas of your home require more heating and cooling than those that are not occupied. Nobody would want to spend money on heating or cooling unused rooms.

Zoning is achieved by installing dampers in ductwork that open and close when called for by your thermostat. This can produce or impede the airflow exactly where you want it. Once an HVAC system is installed in your home, the average savings can be as much as 30 percent on your energy bill. Zoning will give you those savings all year round, not only during winter or summer.

Ask the HVAC Experts

These are only four of the many ways you can do to lower your energy usage. Four Seasons Air Specialists can give you more information should you need it. We offer energy-efficient systems geared towards making your home a more comfortable and economical place to live in. We are your leading Mahtomedi heating and air conditioning contractor serving you since 1974.