With Ohio’s chilly conditions, you may be paying higher-than-usual utility bills this winter. Fortunately, we’ve compiled five effective ways to cut your heating bills for the remainder of the season.
Have Your Furnace Serviced
If you forgot to schedule preventative maintenance in the fall, it’s never too late to have an inspection done. With simple tasks, such as changing your air filter, lubricating moving parts, cleaning the burners, checking fuel line connections and tightening electrical connections, maintenance can maximize system efficiency. Better performance means improved comfort and lower heating bills.
Plug Up Drafts
The most obvious drafts in your home are around windows and doors. Seal stationary gaps and cracks with caulk, and apply fresh weatherstripping to operable joints. Other leaky areas include attic floor penetrations, exhaust fans, electrical outlets, wiring and plumbing penetrations. Seal these areas with caulk, expanding spray foam and foam gaskets as necessary.
Increase Attic Insulation
After sealing the leaks in your attic floor, cut your heating bills even further by boosting your home’s insulation level. A several-inch-thick layer should cover your attic floor evenly. If you see the rafters poking through, ask a professional about what type of insulation you should add for the most cost-effective results. Don’t forget to insulate your attic hatch as well.
Install Storm Windows
You won’t be opening your windows until spring, so give glass windows extra insulating power by installing storm windows. A less costly alternative is to cover windows and sliding patio doors with a clear plastic film. Installation is easy, it won’t harm your trim and the film is easy to remove come spring.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Program your thermostat with automatic setback periods when you’re away or sleeping. A 10-degree setback for two, eight-hour periods each day can cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. While at home, lower the temperature by 1 degree and dress warmer to save even more.
For more tips on how to cut your heating bills this winter, please contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, the premier HVAC service company in the Lorain area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about lowering your heating bills and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Michael D Brown/Shutterstock”
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area