Form Good Habits to Save Money

With the onset of winter, homeowners will turn up their thermostats to keep warm. But with increased usage comes higher electric bills all season long. What can you do to keep your house warm and heating bills down? Surprisingly, quite a lot! You may not need to turn down your thermostat as much as you think when you start incorporating some helpful habits to keep your home warm and toasty.

First, Make Your Home Airtight

If you find that it takes forever for your home to heat, or that your house doesn’t retain heat, leaking air could be your problem. Common areas for this issue occur around windows and door surrounds. Any cracks in the framework or door will allow warm air to escape your home and cold air to replace it.

To prevent this, simple steps should be taken. Check your window surrounds and if there are any cracks outside, use weather-proof caulking to seal it. This will prevent air from leaking out cracks. Next, check your door. If you have a gap between your door and the frame, you’ll have air leaking.

Apply weather stripping to the top, bottom, and sides of your door. This will seal the gap between door and frame, effectively cutting off any opportunity for warm air to leak out. Weatherstripping is one of the best things you can do to maintain long-term comfort and improve your heating bills.

Next, Keep Your Heating System Clean

Your HVAC system gets a lot of work. From winter to summer, your home’s heating and cooling system are used on an almost constant basis. As a result, it can get dirty and clogged easily. When your system becomes clogged, it has to work harder to heat or cool your house. The harder it works, the more energy it uses.

It’s essential to change filters every three months, regularly service your unit, and keep ductwork free of dust and debris. The cleaner your system, the more efficiently it can run and the less your heating bill will be at the end of the season, and don't forget that this will keep clean air inside of your home.

Finally, Replace Old HVAC Parts

HVACs commonly have a lifespan of 15-20 years. Once it hits 15, however, repairs become more frequent and costly. If you want to maximize the efficiency of your HVAC unit, it’s a good idea to replace older HVAC parts with new ones if you have a unit with plenty of life left. If your unit needs to be replaced, shop around sooner than later.

Once your HVAC starts breaking down and needing significant repairs, you’ll not only have a higher energy bill, but you’ll also be looking at repair costs to factor into the overall expense of heating your house. Purchasing a new unit may cost upfront, but it will save hundreds in heating bills over time.

Experienced Heating and Cooling Techs

Minnesota Plumbing and Heating serves the Bloomington, Minnesota area for all heating, cooling, and plumbing needs. With over 100 years of experience, you’re guaranteed to get top-notch service from professionals you can trust.

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