If you’re tired of paying huge utility bills during the cold winter months in Central Indiana, we understand your pain. Luckily, there are plenty of simple and easy things you can do around the house to use less energy and help reduce costs. Some of these ideas don’t even require owning a toolbox, so don’t worry if you’re not the handy type.
Oftentimes, when you search the internet trying to find ways to save on your energy costs, you’ll get information about repair or replacing your heating systems. While these can absolutely be helpful solutions in the long-run, they can be expensive in the short-term and require you to make expensive and drastic changes.
Instead of paying for an expensive repair or replacement that might not even be necessary in the first place, consider trying just a few of these winter energy-saving tips to help keep your utility bills under control.
Change Your Furnace’s Filter
Have you changed your furnace filter in the past few months? A filter clogged with dirt and dust can make it harder for your furnace to operate at peak performance. If you’re not comfortable changing a filter yourself, call Star Heating and Cooling to schedule a “clean and check” for your furnace, and we’ll change the filter for you. We’ll also do a thorough inspection to help make sure your furnace is operating efficiently.
Effectively Use Bathroom and Kitchen Fans
Use your bathroom or kitchen fans only when needed. Fans can remove heat and humidity from your home.
Cover Your Windows
Add caulking of weather stripping to seal leaks around windows, doors, gaps around chimneys, cut-throughs for pipes, and recessed lights. Consider covering leaky windows with plastic.
Use Curtains
Open curtains to let the sunshine in, and close them at the end of the day. Think about adding thicker curtains or a curtain liner over your windows during the winter to help prevent warm air from escaping. This easy tip can drastically improve your home’s energy savings.
Run Ceiling Fan Clockwise
Turn on your ceiling fan to run on the clockwise setting to push hot air back down to stay warm. Shut the fan off when you’re no longer in the room.
Clear Area Around Vents
Make sure furniture is not blocking heat and return air vents. Double-check that heat vents are all the way open.
Lower the Thermostat
If everyone’s in the same room enjoying the warmth from your fireplace, turn your thermostat down a few notches. Make sure you close the damper completely after the fire is out. You might want to consider purchasing a chimney flue balloon that helps prevent warm air from escaping.
Adjust Water Heater Settings
Turn down the settings on your water heater. Add a water heater blanket to insulate the water heater if it is kept in an unheated space.
If you’re able to do just a few of these winter energy-saving tips around the house, you’re sure to start seeing lower heating bills this winter that will help you save money.
Contact Star Heating & Cooling
If you’ve made use of our winter energy-saving tips and you haven’t been able to see any differences in your utility bills, it’s possible that a replacement or repair is necessary. When your home is ready to see the benefits provided by a repair or replacement of your home’s heating system, get in touch with the professionals at Star Heating & Cooling today.