These days, families are always looking for ways to make their budget go further. You may think that big expenses such as household costs can’t be significantly cut, but that’s not true. It is possible to keep your home warm and cozy while reducing your costs quite dramatically using the tips below.
- Be sure your home’s heating system is running at peak performance. To do this, have it inspected and cleaned annually. When your system is clean and in good working order, it will work more efficiently. The upshot of that is that you will save money.
- Change your furnace filters regularly. Through regular use, furnace filters get clogged with dust and debris, which can restrict the flow of air through the unit and cause it to work ineffectively. In general, it’s a good idea to check your filter about once every month.
- If you have a fireplace, always schedule an annual cleaning and inspection appointment with a qualified chimney sweep. Additionally, be sure your fireplace damper is tightly closed when the fireplace is not in use.
- Stop drafts from coming in to your home (which also means your heated air is escaping) by using weather stripping and draft stoppers on all of your windows and doors.
- If your windows are older, it might be worth replacing them. Older windows can allow heat to leach out of your home, which will cost you more in terms of heating.
- If you use window air conditioning units during the summer, be sure to remove them before winter hits.
- Ensure your pipes and water heater are properly insulated.
- Invest in a humidifier to put more moisture into your home during the winter months. Dry air takes longer to heat, which will make your furnace work harder and will increase your heating costs.
- Ensure that your ductwork is properly sealed to prevent heat loss.
- Upgrade your thermostat. Programmable thermostats control the furnace and allow you to set the thermostat to go down at night or when you are not home and then to go back up again before you wake up or come home. This can save significantly on your heating bills.
- Don’t heat rooms you aren’t using. If you have a spare bedroom or other room that you don’t regularly use, close the door to those rooms and even consider closing the vents to those rooms. This will allow you to use that heat to heat the rooms you do use, which is a more efficient use of resources.
- Take advantage of the sun! During daylight hours, open your drapes to allow the sun to naturally heat up your room. The more heat you can get from solar energy, the less your furnace will have to work to heat the room. When the sun goes down, close the drapes to keep the accumulated heat inside.
Heating your home doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. By following these steps, you can keep your family and your home warm and cozy while keeping a lid on your home heating services.
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