3 Tips To Heating Your Home More Efficiently This Winter
Posted on: 23 October 2018
It's furnace season! Some people love the brisk winter air, others despise it, but nobody enjoys feeling the chill inside their home. Here, you'll find a few tips that can help you keep warm this winter.
1. Furnace Service
How long has it been since your furnace has been professionally cleaned and inspected? This service is important for so many reasons, but efficiency and safety are the two key reasons to have your furnace checked each year.
During the cleaning and inspection, the technician will look for anything that could cause the system to run less efficiently and look for anything that could put your family at risk. Without proper inspections, your furnace could leak toxic gasses into your home and you won't even know until carbon monoxide alarms begin to sound.
2. Upgrade the Thermostat
Do you have a programmable thermostat? If not, now's a great time to consider upgrading to a new one. Programmable thermostats allow you to set the temperature to different settings depending on the time of day. So, while you're sleeping, the temperature can be decrease. While you're at work, the system will automatically reduce the temperature and you can even set it to increase the temperature shortly before you arrive home.
Reducing the temperature just a few degrees for several hours each day will decrease your energy bill tremendously.
3. Window Coverings
Much of the heat loss in the home occurs around the windows. If your windows are getting old, you would be wise to cover them with plastic, or at the very least, hang some thermal curtain panels. The thick curtains will help to stop the flow of air in and out of the window while giving you the ability to open the curtains and enjoy a clear view to the outside when the weather is nice.
During the day, when the sun is shining through the windows, draw the curtains back and allow the sun to fill the room with warmth. The only time this might not work out so well is if it is a very windy day and the cool air seeps in around the windows with the sunlight.
Talk with your local heating unit installation and repair technician to learn more about getting your furnace ready for a winter of hard use. In the end, the cost of the service, the upgraded thermostat and some new thermal drapes will pale in comparison to what you will save by making these changes.
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