If you live in the Treasure Valley, your home will definitely consume energy during the cold winter months – there’s simply no way around it. However, there are some tried and true ways you can save money on your utility bill when the weather turns cold.
Get rid of drafts
This is perhaps the biggest no-brainer on this list. Cracks or openings around your exterior doors, windows and attic are the most common places where heat escapes your home. Caulking and weather-stripping are easy and cost-effective ways to address many drafty issues. Applying clear plastic window film on your windows (especially old ones) is also a very inexpensive way to insulate your home.
Get your furnace ready to go for winter
Schedule a preventative maintenance tune-up for your heating system before the cold winter months arrive. Preventative HVAC service is always a smart decision. A tune-up corrects problems before they turn into malfunctions, restores efficiency, and extends the furnace’s lifespan. Contact Ashley Heating, Water & Air at 208-378-9445 today.
Use ceiling fans to your advantage
Ceiling fans aren’t just great for staying cool in the summer – they also help keep you warm in the winter. Ceiling fans usually spin counterclockwise, pushing air down to generate a cooling effect in the summer months. But did you know most ceiling fans have a reverse switch that spins them clockwise, producing an updraft that moves the warm air by your ceiling down into the rest of the room?
Lower the temperature by two degrees
Does your home need to be at 72? Can you get away with lowering it to 70? Lowering the temperature by just a couple degrees leads to significant long-term savings.
Wear a heavier layer
Maybe you don’t really want to turn down your thermostat because you’re afraid you’ll feel a bit chilly. That’s understandable, but it’s much more cost effective to warm your body than your entire house. If you always wear a t-shirt and light socks, can you wear a sweatshirt or sweater and some slippers? Can you add an extra blanket on your bed at night?
Turn the thermostat down at bedtime
Use your thermostat to your advantage. Not only can you save big money by turning down the temperature overnight, but studies show that people sleep better when they’re 10 degrees colder than normal daytime temperatures.
Enjoy the sun during the day and close your curtains at night
Open your blinds and curtains during the day to let in all that free heat from the sun. Just as important is closing your curtains and blinds at night to help insulate your home.
Only heat the spaces where you live
If you have a room that’s rarely used, consider closing the vents and shutting the door so you’re not paying to heat a space that doesn’t need it.
Contact the pros at Ashley Heating, Water & Air
To schedule a preventative maintenance tune-up for your furnace, or, if you have any questions about your heating system, call us at 208-378-9445. Leave the work and worry up to Ashley, and we’ll provide a rewarding start-to-finish experience.