Ways To Save On Your Winter Heating Bills
When you heat your family's home with a forced-air heater, then the one thing you can count on is increased power bills during the cold winter months. Thankfully, there are many different things you can do to help keep your furnace's warm air inside of your home and prevent the heat loss that causes your HVAC system to run more than necessary.
Found below is a listing of free actions that you can take today to lower your power usage and decrease your electrical bills:
Use the Sun to Help Heat Your Home on Sunny Days
Just as the hot summer sun beats on your home's windows and heats up the inside of your home, the sun's rays in the winter will also help to heat your home if you keep the curtains open. The most effective way to harness the heat of the sun in winter is to open the curtains for any windows that have sunshine in the late morning through the early evening. As soon as the sun sets, then close your curtains to block off the cooling window glass.
Lock Down Your Home's Windows and Doors
While it is obvious that you should keep your windows and doors closed when the air outside is cold, it may not be as obvious to you that you should always keep your doors and windows locked down. A locked window or door will have a tighter seal than one that is left unlocked. The tighter seal goes a long way towards keeping the warmer air from your forced-air heater in your home. Also, don't forget to lock your attic door as well so that it doesn't leak air into the attic space.
Reverse the Direction of Your Ceiling Fans
If you have ceiling fans installed in your home, then you should reverse their direction for the winter months. By reversing the direction of a fan's blades, it will then move air from the ceiling down towards the floor. Since warm air rises, this helps to keep more of your heater's warm area down where your family can take advantage of its warmth.
Request a Free Home Energy Audit from Your Utility Provider or HVAC Company
Finally, if you would like to save the most money possible each month on your power bills, then you should request a free home energy audit from your local utility provider or an HVAC company like Rechtin Tom Heating Air Conditioning. During this audit, the technician will use infrared cameras and other technology to determine exactly where the warm air is leaking out of your home and can advise you how to fix the problem.
