How To Save On Heating Bills
When there are low temperatures in Foley, homeowners should be able to set their thermostat to their desired comfort temperature without worrying about what it will cost. However, many feel as if they must choose between comfort and low heating bills. At Anchor Air, we aim to make sure home comfort is affordable and accessible for everyone. To help combat high heating costs, we list tips in this blog to help lower your heating bill.
Save Money This Winter With These Tips!
There are many tasks homeowners can do to maintain a cozy home in the winter without breaking the bank. Incorporating just one or all of these simple tips can help save energy and money. Below are nine tips to keep your heating costs low this winter in Fairhope, Alabama.
- Seal Air Leaks
- Add Insulation
- Utilize Sunlight
- Maintain Clean Air Filters
- Turn On Your Ceiling Fan
- Schedule Heating Maintenance
- Get Cooking!
- Hangout At Your Favorite Local Spot
- Install A Smart Thermostat
Seal Air Leaks
Your heating unit works hard to meet the thermostat setting in your home and only rests until the cycle needs to be repeated. If your home has air leaks in windows, doors, walls, or air ducts, warm air easily exits through the cracks. Air leaks cause heating units to work overtime, because the unit struggles to meet the thermostat setting if air is escaping. An easy and cost effective way to seal leaks in your home is by caulking or weather stripping.
Add Insulation
Similar to air leaks, a home without insulation allows air to easily escape. Insulation provides resistance to heat flow and can help your heating unit maintain a comfortable environment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can save up to 15% on heating and cooling costs by sealing and insulating their homes. One of the best places to add insulation is your attic, because warm air rises and insulation can hold it inside your home. Other important places to insulate are basements, crawlspaces, garages, and other unheated areas.
Utilize Sunlight
If you are looking to keep your home warm while saving money, we strongly encourage using sunlight! The sun is a free heat source and blinds and curtains can stop heat gain. We recommend opening blinds and curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally warm your home. This process can allow you to turn back your thermostat setting a few degrees without feeling the difference. Be sure to close curtains and blinds at night for your privacy and to keep heat inside!
Maintain Clean Air Filters
We cannot stress the importance of clean air filters enough! A dirty air filter can be the cause of a malfunctioning heating unit, poor air quality, little airflow, high bills, and many more comfort issues. If your air filter is clogged, your heating unit uses more energy to push air through. The more energy used, the higher your bills will be. We recommend changing each air filter in your home and furnace at least every 90 days or sooner depending on factors such as indoor animals.
Turn On Your Ceiling Fan
We know it sounds silly to use your ceiling fan in the winter, but it is the truth! Ceiling fans have different settings for summer and winter seasons and can be changed with one simple flip of a switch. Summer ceiling fan settings create a breeze and make rooms feel cooler. However, winter settings do the opposite. Switching the ceiling fan setting reverses the fan rotation and should rotate clockwise in the winter. Ceiling fans in winter mode create and upward draft aiming to relocate warm air trapped by the ceiling. This process can help keep rooms more comfortable and allow homeowners to turn down the thermostat setting without feeling a temperature difference. The lower your thermostat, the more you will save on heating bills!
Schedule Heating Maintenance
High utility bills can often be due to an underlying issue with your heating unit. Parts can come loose or the system can have an internal obstruction while still functioning normally. Heating maintenance allows an Anchor Air technician to inspect each component of your heating system and prevent issues from arising. While the other tips can help lower heating bills, we recommend starting with heating maintenance to begin the season with an efficient heater!
Get Cooking!
The winter season is one of the best times to cook all of your favorite meals. Utilizing your oven and stove can help heat your home and improve comfort. While this process still uses energy, cooking is a necessity and will be done anyways in most homes. Consider lowering your thermostat setting while cooking to save energy!
Hangout At Your Favorite Local Spot
If you are looking to lower your heating bill without sacrificing your comfort, consider spending your day off elsewhere! Foley is filled with many local spots, such as The Drowsy Poet coffee shop at Foley Station. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are just minutes away, so consider spending the day walking on the beach. Leaving your house allows you to alter the thermostat many degrees and give your heating unit a much needed break.
Install A Smart Thermostat
As we have suggested, altering your thermostat can help save money on heating bills. Installing a smart thermostat can take the job of remembering to lower the temperature off your plate. Smart thermostats operate on programmable settings and lowers the temperature according to your schedule. The device can be controlled on a smartphone, so your home is the temperature you want it to be when you arrive!
Home comfort does not have to break the bank, so we recommend utilizing one or all of these tips to lower your energy bill in Fairhope and surrounding areas. To schedule heating maintenance or heating repair, give one of our experienced technicians a call!