Heating and cooling your home are two of the highest ongoing expenses for homeowners every year. They are also two of the most important requirements that homeowners need to ensure both comfort and safety. So, it can become a trying task to balance keeping your home and family comfortable and safe, while reducing energy consumption and heating and cooling costs. Fortunately, we all can follow a few tips to help achieve the balance of reducing energy usage and costs with staying comfortable and safe.
1. Properly Maintain Your Furnace & Heating System
Check your furnace filter every month and replace it when it looks dirty or clogged. Dirty and clogged filters are one of the most common issues for furnaces not heating homes efficiently. Have your furnace inspected and serviced annually to ensure it is set to operate at peak performance throughout the winter months. Yearly maintenance will not only ensure your furnace uses energy as efficiently as possible, it will also help extend the life of your furnace and ensure it operates safely. Annual maintenance is the best way to avoid costly furnace repair calls, too.
2. Turn Your Thermostat Down When Heat Is Not Needed
Today’s “smart” thermostats can be set to lower temperatures whenever you leave your home, which is a great way to reduce energy usage and heating costs. In addition, lower the temperature when you are sleeping and use warmer blankets or comforters on your bed to keep you “toasty” throughout the night.
3. Heat Only the Rooms You Use
Closing off the vents to rooms that are not used can save energy consumption. Rooms like 3-season rooms and guest rooms do not need to be heated as much when they are not being used. Open the vents when these rooms are to be used and they will be comfortable when needed. You can also call New Berlin Heating & Air Conditioning to evaluate your home for zoning, which would provide you with the capability to control temperature in every room separately by using a thermostat.
4. Ensure Your Home is Properly Insulated
Inspect your home for any places where heat can escape and cool outside air can come in. Use insulation or weather stripping to seal these areas. Also, if your doors and windows have existing weather stripping, look for any torn strips and replace them immediately. Keeping heated air inside and the cold air out can save you from unnecessary energy consumption.
5. Get Heat From The Sun
Letting the warmth of the sun during the day is a great way to keep your home warm without using as much energy. Open your blinds or curtains on south-facing windows during winter days will radiate the sun’s heat into your home so you don’t need to keep your thermostat set as high. Make sure you close all window coverings once the sun goes down to keep heat inside your home.
6. Add Moisture to Your Home With a Humidifier
During our winter months, the air inside our homes can get very dry. As moist air holds heat better than dry air, using a humidifier to add moisture into your indoor air can help you feel comfortable even when your temperature is set lower. If you do not have a humidifier, they are easy to add into your HVAC system.
7. Improve Airflow With Ceiling Fans
If your home has ceiling fans, use them strategically to help reduce energy usage by enhancing the ventilation and airflow. Set the fan to rotate clockwise during the colder months, as this will push the heated air down and keep your room warmer. Reverse the rotation to counter-clockwise during summer months to keep the rooms cooler.
Call the HVAC Experts at New Berlin Heating & Air Conditioning
These are just a few of the tips you can follow to help reduce your energy consumption this winter. As always, we are here to help you if you ever are wanting one of the best heating and air conditioning companies in Franklin or any nearby city. We have been serving homeowners in Southeastern Wisconsin for over 30 years. Call us to learn how we can keep you and your family comfortable year-after-year. Let us provide the same “WOW” experience that our customers have come to expect.
