Is the cost of home heating terrifying you? Do you dread opening that bill every month? Is it eating away at any extra money you have? If this is the case, you need to take control of your heating costs this winter. You can accomplish this in any of several ways.
Batten Down the Hatches
According to government statistics, Americans spend almost 56% of their energy use on heating and cooling their homes. They can reduce the amount of energy they lose by stopping it literally and figuratively from going out the windows and doors and other openings. One of the first things anyone needs to do is to weatherproof these various opening. At the very first sign of a leakage, you need to put a stop to it. You can do so by:
- Applying weather stripping to the appropriate openings
- Replacing energy inefficient windows with more efficient ones
- If you cannot afford new windows, consider a storm window or cover them with plastic
- In the day, let the sunshine in, but at night, make sure you have heavy curtains or drapes to help further prevent the entry of cold air
- If the house has little or no insulation, do consider spending the money to install some. The money you lay out will easily be returned in a warmer home, lower energy costs and a happier family
- Make sure the attic is insulated as well as carefully constructed and roofed
All these things can work to help you keep warm and dry during those cold months.
Other Ways of Saving Energy and Money in Home Heating
Other ways to lower the home heating bill appeal to some but not to others. For example, piling more blankets on the bed is not something everyone wants to do. The same applies to lowering the temperature in the home. For those who do this, wearing more clothing while at home makes up for the cooler environment. These are all practical approaches. However, on every important means of reducing heating costs while keeping warm is – like piling on the extra blankets and clothing, is relatively simple. It focuses on your furnace.
Your furnace, whether a single unit or part of a system, is there to keep you and your family cozy. If you want it to function to its potential and save money, you need to do two major things:
1. Pick a system that is fuel efficient, suited to your residence and its needs and effective
2. Maintain it up to its original standards as indicated in the physical or online manual
In other words, you have to select the right heating system for your home. It must to be too big or too small. It must be energy efficient and effective at its function. However, if you want the system to work at its optimum, you need to ensure it received the care it requires. It will need maintenance and an annual inspection. If you neglect these aspects of a heating system, you will not be taking control of your heating costs this or any winter but wasting energy and therefore money.
