6 Ways to Lower Your Heating Bill This Winter
Prepare your home for the chilly weather ahead and minimise your heating bill this season with a few smart tips and tricks.
Insulate and Seal Your Home for Improved Heating
Cold air can creep in through poorly sealed or insulated ceilings and walls around the home. Do some detective work to find the worst culprits. From experience, when a homeowner complains that their home is taking a long time to warm up despite the heating being on – it usually comes down to a lack of insulation. For a quick fix think about laying batt insulation in the attic or roof space.
Windows and doors are another culprit for a lot of our wasted heating. Check them for cracks around the trim and seal these with silicone or weather stripping around any movable parts. Install a door sweep to the bottom of your door for added protection. If you installed weather stripping previously, check for cracks or damage and replace as needed.
Schedule Maintenance Tasks
A well maintained home will operate more affordably and efficiently during winter. You should schedule heating maintenance once a year to keep your system in shape. During this tune up, your technician will lubricate, tighten, clean, and inspect various parts throughout the unit. He will also alert you to any potential problems so you can make repairs now before you’re left without heat in the winter. If you have a fireplace, be sure to have it inspected before you use it. This is necessary for safety reasons and to be sure it is cleaned as needed. If you don’t use your fireplace, consider installing a chimney balloon to keep air from escaping through it.
Update Your Window Drapes
Heavy window drapes are more efficient at keeping cold air out while sealing heating inside where you want it. Open these drapes during the day to let sunlight stream in and naturally warm your home. Close the drapes as the sun sets, and you’ll enjoy lingering warmth so you can hold off using your heater even for a little while to save energy.
Check the Vents
Check vents throughout the house to make sure that they are open and unobstructed. It’s a common misconception that closing vents to unused rooms will improve energy efficiency. This actually disrupts the air pressure in your home and your energy expenses will actually increase. Leave air vents open throughout the house for optimum energy efficiency, and keep furniture and other obstructions away from these areas.
Set Your Thermostat Correctly
If you have a programmable thermostat, setting it according to your household’s schedule will lead to energy savings throughout the season. Set your thermostat to lower the temperature 10 to 15 degrees at night when you’re sleeping. This will minimise the amount of heat you use while you’re inactive. Add flannel sheets and cosy blankets to your beds, and you may never notice the difference. You can also lower the temperature while you’re away from home during the day for additional savings.
Preventive tasks like these will outfit your home for maximum energy efficiency this winter.
If you are still having problems we suggest calling your installer to see if you are still covered under warranty or are entitled to any existing customer discounts for servicing. If not, get on to your manufacturers website and search for a tech in your area.