Home Heating Tips

During the cold of winter, nothing makes your blood boil like rising heating bills. To keep your energy costs lower this winter, try these money-saving ideas:

Be more energy conscious!
Remember to turn off lights when you leave a room and turn off electronics and appliances when you aren't using them. Letting electronics run constantly can silently drain energy and waste money.

Improve your furnace efficiency.
Step up to a high efficiency furnace to improve your home's comfort, and to lower your heating costs. Older furnaces are often less than 60% efficient. This means for every dollar you spend on fuel, 40% is being lost as heat straight up the chimney. Today's better furnaces have Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings in excess of 90%. If your budget can afford it, go with a two-stage high-efficiency furnace equipped with a variable speed blower motor. In addition to lower gas bills, these models can save you up to 50% in electricity costs compared to furnaces equipped with conventional blower motors.

Clean and maintain your system.
Keep your system serviced to help it run more efficiently and to provide better indoor air quality. Clear debris and clutter away from around heating & cooling equipment, and replace your filters regularly. To further improve indoor air quality, consider the addition of an electronic air cleaner. These units trap many airborne particles that might otherwise pass right through standard throw-away filters.

Save with your thermostat.
Lower your winter heating bill by setting your thermostat as low as comfortably possible to minimize the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat. These thermostats can work at a more cost-efficient temperature while you're asleep or away from home, and raise the temperature to warm your home just before you wake up or return.

Stop the leaks.
You may be losing significant amounts of warm air through leaks in your ductwork, attic, attic openings, lights and electrical fixtures, and around windows. According to studies, the air leakage in a typical North American home is equal to leaving a large window wide open! The easiest solution to this problem is to caulk, seal and weather strip all seams and cracks to the outside. Duct improvements may require professional assistance. We can easily inspect your ductwork during our next service visit to find out if repairs or modifications could lead to home comfort improvements.

Use ventilating fans wisely.
Be conservative when using kitchen and bathroom ventilating fans. These fans can pull out a houseful of warmed air in just one hour, so turn them off when they have done the job. Consider replacing standard on/off switches with timers.

Use open fireplaces sparingly.
In just a short period of time, an open wood fire can exhaust significant quantities of warm air straight up the chimney. This air is replaced with cold, draughty air coming in from outside. Use your fireplace sparingly, and keep the damper closed when you're not using it. This will help keep warm air from escaping up the chimney, and put less demand on your heating and cooling system.

Add extra insulation:
One of the most convenient and cost-efficient ways to reduce energy usage and get the most from your home energy bills is to make sure your home is properly insulated. Although you may need a contractor to add insulation to exterior walls, you can easily add attic insulation yourself to help keep heat inside the home.

Cut water heating costs. Lower your water heating bills by using less hot water, by insulating the outer jacket of the water heater, and by lowering the temperature setting. Also keep in mind that a leaking faucet can waste several gallons of water in a very short time. If the leak is on the hot water side, your heating dollars are going straight down the drain! Regardless, be sure to repair leaks promptly.

Open the curtains.
During the day, open curtains and blinds on the south side of the house to let the sun's warmth into the home. Be sure to keep windows clean to maximize the amount of light that gets through. Consider using thick, insulating curtains to reduce heat loss through windows at night.

Maintain the right humidity levels.
During the dry winter months, moisture levels in the home can affect your heating costs, comfort, and health. Dry air is also detrimental to wood furniture, musical instruments, and flooring. Humidifiers add moisture to dry air in your home, which helps your body stay hydrated and comfortable. Replenishing moisture can also help protect wooden household contents by maintaining the right levels of indoor humidity.