Temperatures are dropping with no end in sight! Warm sweaters that we enjoy in fall are being replaced by heavy coats, scarves, and gloves. Soon you’ll be increasing the temperature on your heater in an effort to keep the cold out of your comfortable home. But increasing the temperature isn’t your only option for keeping your home warm and cozy.
There are many ways that you can boost your heater’s efficiency this winter season. One way is by scheduling a heater service for our team to come out and inspect your heater. We can ensure that there are no repair needs or potential problems that need to be addressed. But you can also take steps yourself to improve your heater’s efficiency.
Improve Heater Efficiency
It can take a lot of energy to heat your home – especially on the coldest days of winter. But when you take steps toward boosting your heater’s efficiency you can save money on energy costs and extend the life of your heater by reducing wear and tear.
Set a Heating Schedule
If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, scheduling your heater to change temperatures at certain times of day will be a manual process. But with a smart thermostat, you can pre-program your heater to heat your home at certain times of the day. For example, you may lower the temperature during the day while you’re at work and then schedule the heat to turn up before you get back home.
Keep in mind that you may have to adjust these settings when your schedule changes – but that’s easy! You can easily override the pre-programmed schedule to make adjustments day to day. If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, it’s easy and economical to have one installed.
Adjust Temperature Settings
With this tip, you may have to make some mental adjustments as well. That’s because the US Department of Energy recommends that homeowners set their thermostats no higher than 68°F during the winter season. For some homeowners, this may be cooler than you’re used to.
But if you commit to trying it for a month, you may find that you adjust to the new heat setting easily. Plus, you’ll enjoy the savings you see on your monthly energy bill! You can save an additional 5-10% on your energy bills by decreasing the temperature by another 10°F while you’re away at work or traveling.
Utilize Other Heat Sources
You can easily bundle up and take other steps to stay warm so that you aren’t tempted to use your heater as much. During the day when it’s sunny, open the curtains so you can let in the warmth from the sun. In the evenings and on colder days you can use sweaters, socks, and blankets to stay warm.
Check Your Insulation
When you do use your heater for warm air, you want that warm air to stay inside your home and not escape. Insulation is a great way to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. You may only think about the insulation that’s in your attic, but you also want to look for ways to insulate your doors, windows, and other openings.
Hall’s Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration can help with your emergency AC needs. Call the doctor of home comfort today.
