Cool Off Those Smoking Heating Bills
From Margaret on November 23rd, 2011 in Energy Efficiency
Winter is quickly arriving and you are finding yourself turning up the heat. Your home should be running smoothly and warmly. But this shouldn’t meant that your heating bill is also rising through the roof.
If you find yourself scratching your head in frustration at an unexpectedly high heating bill, don’t resign and simply keep paying those inflated bills. There are tricks to slim your heating bill, and we don’t just mean quitting the use of your heat.
Here’s a checklist to go through if you think your heating bill is higher than it should be. Believe me, you can be content with a warm home and lowered bill.
If you’re looking for pricing on a heating upgrade or installation, click here.
Get your HVAC ductwork inspected
The first and most obvious place to turn to when your bill is too high is your heating system. Hopefully, you participate in yearly cleanings and check-ups to make sure that your unit is running as efficiently as possible. You can take a look at the external system, and see if it has collected unwanted debris or dust.
It’s best to have a contractor come out and take a look at the overall system, and suggest what you can do to keep it up better. If your unit is over a decade old, you might be losing about one-third of the energy and will need to replace it. There are also substantial rebates available for energy-saving systems.
Consider replacing windows
Window, oh the windows, can be a huge culprit in your heating costs. Even more profound than an inefficient roof, leaky or outdated windows can create pockets of energy leakage where they should seal it in tightly. In fact, window replacement can remedy up to thirty percent of your heating costs. That’s something worth looking into.
To get free cost information on window installs in your area, click here.
Get a programmable thermostat
If the structural elements of your heating system look in top shape, consider acquiring a programmable thermostat. While you might need a higher heating temperature on the weekends or when you’re having breakfast on those bluish frosty mornings—you don’t need high heat when you’re away at work all day, or on vacation.
A programmable thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature for you, cutting down on heating costs.
Look into your roof leakage
While your roofing may look nice and tidy, it can be an unsuspected culprit in your heating costs. An inefficient roof that has long since needed replacing can contribute to a mass leakage of heat. Especially if you live in a house and have never replaced your roof, you might want to consider having a contractor come out to check out its efficiency, and what repairs or renovations can be made.
Click onto CalFinder’s extensive database of contractors to find one in your area, and get an estimate on cost.
Photo via Houzz
November 29th, 2011 at 7:49 pm
The easiest way to make your home more energy efficient is to seal any air leaks, and one that is often overlooked is the bathroom ventilation fan and exhaust vent. The back-draft flap these units come with do a very poor job of stopping leaks. To address this issue, I use a replacement insert fan from the Larson Fan Company. Their fans has a true damper built in, that does a great job in keeping warm air in during the winter and hot, humid air out in the summer. This product has reduced my annual energy bills by over ten percent. It saves the most when air conditioning is being used.