Help Your Heater Help You
Alabama’s winters can bring anything from balmy sunshine to freezing storms, sometimes in the same week. So, residents need to be ready for all types of weather, and that means making sure your home is prepared, too.
When cold winds blow, frigid air will find its way inside through any crack and crevice. At the same time, warm air from indoors will use those little openings to leak outdoors. 1 key to weather readiness is finding and plugging any air leaks with caulk and weather stripping. If needed, enlist the help of a professional.
Areas of your home to check for air leaks include attics and around windows and doors, wiring holes, the attic hatch, plumbing, furnace and dryer vents, and even recessed lighting fixtures.
Another way to increase your home’s energy efficiency and save on your power bill is by helping your heating source. 1 of the easiest steps if you have an HVAC system is to clean or change the filter monthly. Dirty filters slow down air flow, making the system work harder, wasting energy, and costing you money.
Another helpful step is to install a programmable thermostat. It can be set to automatically turn the heat down when no one is home and turn it up when it’s time for you to return. It can also be set to a lower temperature while you’re snug in bed.
You can save as much as 10% a year on heating costs by simply turning your thermostat back by 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day from its normal setting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The agency recommends setting the thermostat to around 68 to 70 degrees during daytime hours when you’re home and lowering the temperature while you’re asleep or away from home.
A common misconception is that the heating unit has to work harder to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. But the DOE says that during winter, the lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. So, the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature.
If your heating source is having trouble keeping your house cozy, making you turn to appliances like space heaters and electric blankets, or if your system is over 10 years old, be sure to get a professional evaluation. If the system needs to be replaced, invest in energy-efficient equipment that will help save money on heating bills.