Expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $4,500 to heat a home this winter in much of the country.
The most expensive way to heat your home turns out to be through electric heaters and registers. Still, even with natural gas, one of the lowest fuels for winter heating, you could pay an inflated bill.
To avoid this, make sure your home is optimized for the winter months by buttoning up places around your home where warm air can escape. If you do, you’ll also stay toasty warm but won’t break your budget when temperatures dip.
In the following article, we’ll discuss five heating tips that are sure to help keep you warm and save on your heating and cooling bill.
1. Schedule a Home Heating Audit
You’d be surprised how accomodating your utility or HVAC system supplier is when it comes to making sure you have the most efficient home possible. Often, the utility or installer of your HVAC unit will offer to go to your home and conduct an energy audit. If it’s not free, it may be for a reasonable price.
The reasons for this are simple. Its good public relations for the utility and its excellent customer service for the HVAC company. During the audit, a home heating expert will look at the outside and inside of your home and highlight trouble spots.
Windows, outside doors, poor installation, chimneys, attics, and fireplaces are all areas that get a once-over during these types of audits.
2. Outside Door Maintenance
One culprit to look at when it comes to drafts is your outside doors. To make sure these are in good working order, look to replace the weatherstripping on these. Make sure the door is properly caulked, and apply insulated foam tape around cracks and gaps.
If you’re not handy and can’t replace the weatherstripping, buy a foam door snake to slide under the door and stop the breeze from coming in.
3. Window Upgrades or Sealants
Another way to keep your home warm is not to let your windows get too old. It would help if you replaced them as they reach the end of their lifespan with energy-efficient ones. If you are hurting for cash, try sealing the windows with shrink wrap and applying heavy curtains.
4. Furnace Maintenance
One of the best ways to save on your heating bill is to have your heating company conduct regular furnace maintenance. Furnaces, along with the greater HVAC system and water heaters, are the beating heart of your home. To get the most out of the units by changing filters and making the heating elements work at their best.
5. Manage Your Winter Heating
With the advent of the timed or WiFi-enabled thermostat, it’s never been easier to control when your heat is on and when it is off. Moderating the time your furnace is working hard is a great way to save on heating bills. Set your thermostat to start up about a half-hour before you arrive home from work or get up in the morning.
Another way to save money is to find your optimum temperature and stick to it. For example, experts recommend setting your thermostat at 68 degrees to save money and remain comfortable.
Avoid Extremes
Like cooling bills in the heat of summer, winter heating bills can eat a lot of your budget. However, with both scenarios, the best way to save money is to take the time to conduct scheduled maintenance, plan for areas where you know you need extra warmth, and to make sure you not overheating your home.
If you practice these simple steps, you may save some money and not need a costly emergency repair in the dead of winter.
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