Many homeowners dread the cold months because of the spike in heating costs. But there's good news, you can keep your bills in check with regular heater maintenance.
Regular heater maintenance can cut your winter energy bills by up to 15% as this simple step helps your heating system run more efficiently, using less energy to keep your home warm.
A well-maintained heater doesn't have to work as hard to heat your home. This means it uses less energy and breaks down less often, reducing your monthly bills and avoiding costly emergency repairs.
Understanding Heating System Efficiency
Heating system efficiency plays a key role in managing your winter energy bills, ensuring each component does its job and heat loss is minimized.
Components of an Efficient Heating System
- The furnace or boiler burns fuel to create heat.
- The heat exchanger transfers that heat to the air or water in your home.
- Ductwork carries warm air to different rooms.
- Vents and registers let the warm air into each space.
- A thermostat controls when the system turns on and off.
Regular cleaning and tuning of these parts is essential to keep your system running smoothly.
The Role of Insulation and Weatherization
Insulation in walls, attics, and floors keeps heat inside your home, while weatherization includes sealing air leaks around windows and doors to stop drafts. Caulking and weather stripping are two ways to do this. These steps mean your heating system has to run, reducing your annual energy usage.
Improving Home Efficiency to Reduce Energy Bills
Lower your energy bills by making your home more efficient and implementing simple changes can lead to big savings.
Strategic Air Sealing Techniques
Air leaks waste energy and increase your bills so check for gaps around windows, doors, and electrical outlets, not forgetting less obvious spots like attic hatches and basement rim joists. For bigger gaps, use expanding foam which is easy to apply and works well for odd-shaped openings.
A professional energy audit can help find hidden leaks and this service often pays for itself through long-term energy savings.
Window Optimization for Energy Retention
Your windows are key to your home's energy use and it is recommended to add storm windows or replace old ones with double-pane models. This extra layer traps air and boosts insulation.
Window coverings also help, such as thick curtains or cellular shades to keep heat in during winter. Open them on sunny days to let the warmth in, then close them at night to retain it. You could also consider window films which are cheap and easy to install, reflecting heat into your home to minimize energy loss.
Smart Thermostats and Energy Savings
Smart thermostats learn your schedule and adjust temperatures automatically, ensuring you're not heating an empty house or sleeping in an overly warm room. Many smart thermostats can also be controlled from your phone so you can turn down the heat if you'll be late getting home.
Some models even track your energy use and provide tips to reduce energy usage, helping you make savings each month.
Maximizing Government Incentives
The government offers money-saving programs to help you cut energy costs, including tax credits and rebates for home improvements to make heater upgrades more affordable.
Tax Credits and Rebates Overview
You can get tax credits for energy-efficient home upgrades and the federal government offers 30% credit for insulation and energy audits. Many states have rebate programs too that could contribute to further savings.
Your city or county might have special programs so check their websites or call to ask about current offers. You can also research which utility companies give rebates for new efficient heaters.
Complying with the Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 expanded energy-saving incentives, meaning you can get bigger tax credits for home improvements. The act set aside $9 billion for home energy rebates and to qualify, you need to meet certain rules. For example, your upgrades must reach set efficiency levels.
The act focuses on lower-income households but all homeowners can benefit. You might also get help paying for an energy audit to check where your home loses heat. keep all receipts and certification papers when applying for tax credits to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Adapting Lifestyle to Enhance Energy Savings
Small changes in your daily habits and home setup can lead to big savings on energy bills. These tweaks don't require much effort but can make a big difference in keeping your home warm and costs down.
4 Behavioral Changes for Better Efficiency
- Warmth: Set your thermostat a few degrees lower than usual and wear warm clothes indoors instead of using extra heat, you could consider using thicker blankets at night too. Meanwhile, close curtains and blinds when it's dark to keep warmth in and open them during sunny days to let natural heat in.
- Lighting: Turn off lights and appliances when not in use, unplug chargers and electronics that aren't needed, and replace lighting with energy-saving LED bulbs for extra savings.
- Water: Take shorter showers to use less hot water, wash your clothes in cold water, and air dry when possible.
- Cooking: Using your oven regularly helps to warm up the kitchen, and you should use lids on pots to cook food faster, saving energy.
Cold Weather Preparation and Maintenance
Check your home for drafts around windows and doors, put draft stoppers at the bottom of doors, and install thermal curtains on windows to keep cold air out. Add extra insulation to your attic and walls to stop warm air from escaping. Another hack is to set ceiling fans to turn clockwise in winter as this pushes warm air down from the ceiling.
Turn off exhaust fans in bathrooms and the kitchen quickly after use because they pull warm air out of your home, and don’t forget to close the fireplace damper when not in use to prevent drafts.
Clean or replace HVAC filters monthly to help your system run better, and have a professional check your heating system each year before winter so they can spot and fix issues that waste energy.
Speak to us today to arrange an annual inspection of your home to ensure it is fully winterized.
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