No one likes high electrical bills, and least of all during the winter months. In Alabama, the average electric bill was about $150 per month in 2018, higher than the national average of $117 per month. Appliances, including furnaces and air conditioning systems, use up much of the electricity that makes up your bill.
Heating (and cooling) make up a the largest portion of your electric bill. The colder it gets outside, the more your furnace will run, and the higher your heating costs will climb. You may be wondering how to get these costs down, and luckily there are several simple things you can do to help your furnace not work so hard to heat your home.
Simply Turn Down The Heat or Use a Programmable Thermostat
The easiest thing you can do to lower your costs is to simply turn down your heat a few degrees. Your furnace won’t run as often or use as much energy to heat your home.
If turning down the thermostat is uncomfortable, just turning the heat down when you’ll be sleeping or away can also help. If it’s difficult to remember doing this every night or each time you go out, a programmable thermostat can help. This thermostat will allow you to use settings that will automatically do this for you. Some thermostats go even further and can sense the light levels in your home.
Change Your Air Filters
Air filters are designed to protect your furnace from dust, pet hair, and other airborne particles and to keep it working in good order. However, these filters do need to be changed every few months. The good news is that they are inexpensive and easy to find at most hardware and department stores.
Check Your Home For Leaks
Air can leak in and out of your home almost anywhere, but the good news is that these leaks can be fixed. It’s possible that somewhere in your system, warm air is escaping from a loose duct and not going where it’s supposed to go. And that means higher energy costs, because your heating system will need to work overtime to meet the needs of your home. By tightening some connections and having your ducts repaired, you can easily improve your heating efficiency.
“Leaky” windows and doors are another reason your heating system may be working overtime to keep your home at your desired temperature. By sealing any cracks or applying plastic over leaky windows, you can keep the heat (and your money) in your home.
Having good insulation will also help to seal the heat inside your home, and will go a long way towards cutting down your energy costs.
Have Regular Inspections
Having your furnace inspected regularly by a qualified HVAC professional can catch issues that may reduce your furnace’s ability to heat your home.
By having a yearly inspection done, you can not only identify issues which can cause costly repairs down the road, but you can have your furnace cleaned and tuned up so that it can heat your home at a lower cost for years to come.
Upgrade Your System
New homes tend to have lower energy costs because newer appliances, including furnaces and heat pumps, tend to be more efficient than older models. Most heating systems last for fifteen years or more, and an older system may have issues preventing it from heating your home efficiently.
Upgrading to a more energy-efficient furnace or other HVAC system can go a long way towards saving on heating costs in the long run. This is especially true if you’re using an older system in your home.
If you’re ready to lower your heating costs in your Decatur area home, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help!
We provide the best HVAC installations at Southeastern Mechanical Services. Contact us today.