When you look over your total expenditures for the year, your heating bills are likely to take a top spot. As an educated homeowner, it pays to understand how to reduce your heating costs. Below, we’ll discuss key factors that influence home heating costs during the holidays and tips to reduce your annual expenses.
Factors Affecting Texas Home Heating Costs
Texas has a unique climate that experiences many vast temperature fluctuations. It can go from a mild 60-degree (Fahrenheit) day in winter to a sudden cold front reaching the low 20s. This unpredictable weather can place a high demand on your heating system, running up your heating bills.
With many providers offering variable-rate energy plans, prices can soar when demand increases during cold fronts. Fortunately, there are many ways you can minimize your heating costs this holiday season and beyond.
Scheduling Professional Maintenance
One of the most important things you can do to reduce your heating bills is to ensure your system is operating as efficiently as possible. To ensure your system is working efficiently, it’s best to get professional maintenance service. Our professionals will inspect, lubricate, test, and clean all the internal components of your unit. We recommend scheduling professional service in the early fall to maximize the amount of energy savings you get throughout the entire season.
Air Filter Changes
An important part of maintaining your heating system’s efficiency is routinely changing its air filter. While your air filter is very important for trapping unwanted debris, it can reduce the efficiency of your system when it gets too full. It’s best to check your filter at least once a month and replace it whenever necessary. Most homeowners find they need to replace their furnace filter about every 30 to 90 days.
Upgrading to a Smart Thermostat
A key tool to reduce heating costs is a smart thermostat. These devices come with many great features that will increase the efficiency of your system and reduce energy waste. One of their most important features is automated scheduling. This allows you to set the temperature at a comfortable level when you’re home and turn it down when you’re away.
Many smart thermostats come with geofencing technology that will automatically adjust your temperature settings based on the location of your paired phone. Whenever you leave, it will turn your heating system down so that it doesn’t run as often. Smart thermostats also come with eco-friendly modes that can automatically adjust your thermostat’s settings to reduce your energy bills.
Seal Air Leaks
One of the biggest reasons that your heating bills may be expensive is because you have air leaks in your home. These air leaks can allow cold air to penetrate your home and lower your indoor temperature. When this happens, your heating system must constantly run to combat colder temperatures.
It’s highly advantageous to locate any new air leaks on your exterior walls. Look closely at door frames, window frames, light switches, and electrical outlets. Anywhere you notice a difference in temperature, there’s an air leak that you may need to seal. Consider using materials like a foam cover plate, caulking, weather stripping, or even spray foam to seal up the leak.
Upgrade Insulation
The insulation in your home acts as a barrier between the warm air inside and the cold air outside. The higher the R-value your insulation has, the thicker that barrier is. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked your insulation, it can be helpful to look at its R-value rating. The U.S. Department of Energy has general recommendations for all zip codes throughout the country.
It can be helpful to see the recommendation for your area and compare your existing insulation to that information. If your insulation is below the minimum standards, consider upgrading it. If your insulation is sitting below your floor joist in your attic, it’s best to add some additional material. Be sure to fill in any spots that are missing insulation.
Upgrading Your Heating System
If your existing heating system is getting older, it will become less efficient as the years go by. In general, electric furnaces last about 20 to 30 years. Those that burn fuel last for about 15 to 20 years. Upgrading to a new system can significantly reduce your heating bills. Choosing a heat pump or ductless mini-split system can provide you with optimal efficiency that beats traditional furnaces.
Use Ceiling Fans
For many homeowners, ceiling fans can be their secret weapon to maintaining indoor comfort while reducing heating bills. It’s necessary to have your ceiling fan spin in a clockwise direction during the winter months. This will gently force the hot air by your ceiling outward and back down to the floor.
By recirculating the warm air your heating system has already produced, you can stay comfortable without having to adjust your thermostat settings. You may even find that you can turn the temperature down on your thermostat so that your heating system runs less.
Utilizing Direct Sunlight
One of the easiest ways to get free heat for your home is to open your blinds and curtains. Direct sunlight during the daytime hours can significantly increase the temperature in the rooms it penetrates. By using free heat from the sun, your heating system can run less while keeping your home comfortable.
Maintaining Your Ductwork
If you have a furnace or heat pump that utilizes ducting to deliver hot air throughout your home, it’s important to maintain that ducting. Ductwork plays a huge role in the overall efficiency of your heating system and the comfort it can provide. Having a professional clean your ductwork every three to five years will help to remove any debris inside your air ducts.
This debris could otherwise restrict airflow through your ducting and make your heating system run longer to heat your home. Additionally, it’s common for your ductwork to develop leaks over time. Investing in a professional sealing service will seal up air leaks. All the heat your system produces makes it to the living spaces in your home.
Home Energy Audit
If you’re not sure exactly where to start, getting a home energy audit is a great first step. This is where a professional comes out and thoroughly assesses your entire home to locate areas of heat loss. The audit will include real steps you can take to improve your home’s efficiency. This will give you key information on areas that need to be altered to reduce your heat loss and minimize your heating bills.
Expert Heating Maintenance Services
ASAP HVAC offers expert heating maintenance services for the Spring, TX community. We can also help with all your heating repair, new installation, and replacement needs.
Please call our office today to schedule your next service consultation for spring.
