Use these Tips to Save Money During Cooler Weather

Lorain winters are long and cold, and you can end up spending a fortune on heating your home if you don’t take care of some essential home maintenance tasks in the fall. These five tasks will improve the energy efficiency of your HVAC system, and they will help reduce the heating load so that it cycles on less frequency, saving you money while maintaining the highest possible level of comfort.

Schedule Preventive HVAC Maintenance

The most important factor for high energy bills is an inefficient furnace. For every year it’s gone without a tune-up, it will cost about 5 percent more to operate. The annual tune-up increases efficiency, extends its life, prevents common operating problems and increases your comfort level.

Seal Air Leaks

Air leaks around windows, doors, baseboards and service entrances increase your energy bills exponentially and cause more wear and tear on your heating system. Seal air leaks with weatherstripping and caulk, and install foam insulating gaskets behind outlets and light switch plates on your exterior walls.

Shore Up the Attic Insulation

Inadequate insulation in the attic is one of the worst culprits for sky-high energy bills. The attic should have at least 15 inches of insulation with an R-rating of 38 to 60. You can add bats to the existing insulation or remove older, damaged insulation and start from scratch.

Reverse the Direction of Your Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans keep you cooler in the summer, but they can also keep you warmer in the winter. Reverse the blades by flipping the switch at the top of the fan. The blades will then push down the warm air near the ceiling, keeping you more comfortable and reducing the number of times your furnace kicks on.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

A properly installed programmable thermostat can save you up to 20 percent on your heating bills each year. Program it 10 degrees lower while you’re asleep or at work for the highest possible savings.

For more tips on improving your home’s energy efficiency this winter, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, proudly serving the Lorain area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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