Winter is coming, folks. And whilst we're all super duper excited about cooler temps, the energy bills that come with 'em are a whole different story. Not exactly the Christmas present we had in mind.
FRET NOT, dearest reader. We're here to help!
Heating your home is expensive. Not gonna sugarcoat it: costs can creep up pretty quickly once your HVAC kicks into gear.
FORTUNATELY, there are a few things you can do to keep your energy usage under control without making life all that difficult.
So here are a few things worth paying attention to.
1. Your Thermostat
Setting it to 85°F won’t heat the house any faster. You’ll just end up hot, annoyed, and paying for it.
Around 68°F is a reasonable place to start while you’re home. Adjust it to whatever’s comfortable without recreating Texas Summer in your living room.
If you have a heat pump, be a little more careful with big temperature changes. Depending on your system, they can trigger auxiliary heat, which can use quite a bit more electricity.
2. Your Air Filter
Can we please not do this one again. CHANGE YOUR FILTERS. Mkay, thanks!
3. Your Doors and Windows
Warm air escaping through gaps around your doors and windows is warm air you’ve already paid for.
Check the weatherstripping and seal any gaps. Close your curtains or blinds at night to help keep the heat inside.
If your ceiling fans have a reverse setting, run ‘em clockwise on low during winter to help circulate warm air. Yep, clockwise. We're not making this up. It sounds strange, but it works!
4. Your Heating Equipment
Your outdoor HVAC unit needs to be clean and clear to work properly. Make sure leaves, branches, and other debris aren't blocking airflow around your equipment.
And getting your system professionally checked is suuuper important, folks. Doing it regularly helps catch hiccups before they turn into headaches.
5. Your Electricity Plan
Hate to break it to ya, but your HVAC is probably not the only thing bumping up your monthly bill.
Check your electricity rate, especially if your contract’s about to renew. Power to Choose lets you compare plans. (Not sponsored or anything, they’re just really good and we recommend ‘em).
Look at the rate for your actual usage, along with fees, bill credits, and contract terms. The lowest advertised number doesn’t always mean the lowest bill.
Annoying amount of reading involved, but super worth it. And you can always call us if you have questions.
And there ya have it, folks. A few easy changes, a little bit of maintenance, and hopefully a little less damage to your bank account this winter.
