Tips on savings for heating this winter

Home heating is typically one of the most significant utility expenses you face as a homeowner, often more tha 40% of a utility bill. However, no one wants to spend the winter in a cold house. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce the amount of heating fuel your household uses, improve the efficiency of your heating system and save money on heat. Read on to find out!

Bundle Up

The more clothing you wear in the winter, the warmer you’ll be, so the less you need to crank up the heat in your home. Depending on your tolerance for cold, you might layer up and carry a blanket around the house with you. Also, when going to bed, ensure you have extra blankets with you.

Bundling up allows you to reduce the temperature in the house, relax your HVAC system and ensure efficiency. This will cut costs in the future.

Let the Sun Heat Things Up

Although one might think the sun disappears during winter, it’s still there. You can use the heat from the sun’s rays to help warm your home during the day. If you have shades, blinds or curtains, open them up on sunny days and take advantage of the sunlight’s warmth. You can then close the curtains or blinds at night to provide another layer of insulation against the windows.

Close off Unused Rooms

Depending on your home’s size and population, you might have some extra unused rooms that are unnecessarily being heated. To save money on your heating bill, close the rooms you do not use. Moreover, you can have extra benefit s if you seal the vents in those empty rooms wiith a towel or a draft blocker.

However, do not let the rooms get too cold because the water pipes in the walls, if any, would freeze. Make sure the rooms do not get coler than approximately 40 degrees.

Turn the Thermostat Down and buy a programmable thermostat

Fun fact: the average household can save about 2 percent per month on their winter utility bills for every degree the thermostat is lowered. It may be worth it in the future to decrease the temperature in your house by 2 degrees now.

Moreover, you should invest in a programmable thermostat so you can decrease your temperature. Although it may be expensive at first, the ability to wirelessly change your house’s temperature can save you a ton of money in the future!

Make Sure Doors and Windows Are Closed Tightly

Make sure your doors ad windows are tightly sealed as heat might escape through them. At the beginning of winter, take a tour around your house and check all doors and windows for leaks; and if you find any, close them. In the case of windows, a quick way to close them tightly is to lock them as lockig would create a better seal; making your home a bit more secure.

Keep Heat From Escaping From Your Ducts

20 percent of the heating that moves throughout the duct system can be lost in homes with central heating systems if the ducts are not organized and properly prepped for winter. However, many people tend to ignore them as ducts are usually stashed away in the attic or basement of most homes. Ducts that have been properly sealed could potentially save you $120 or more on your annual energy bill, so seal them immediately!

Use Ceiling Fans

If you have ceiling fans in any of the rooms in your home, you can use them during the colder months of the year to help distribute warm air and lower your heating bill. Reverse the fans so that the blades turn clockwise during the winter. There should be a small switch at the base of the fan.

The clockwise direction of the blades should pull air upward, so that warm air that’s trapped up near the ceiling travels down the walls and around the room. To see if the blades of the fan are spinning the correct direction, stand beneath it. You should not be able to feel air blowing down on you.

Unblock heating vents

Furniture and decorative furnishings are often placed in areas inside homes that unintentionally block heating vents. This can cause your heating system from working harder than necessary. Blocked vents can also lead to overheating of the furnace and can endanger your home. However, uncovered vents will allow heated air to get out and disperse evenly throughout the house, keeping your home warm and cozy. Therefore, take the time to check all vents in your house and ensure that they are uncovered.

The HVAC experts at Family Comfort recommend you get your home’s heating system professionally inspected to ensure it is working as efficiently as possible. Family Comfort offers a variety of services to help our customers prepare for the winter.

Replace your HVAC system

If you have a old HVAC system, it might be time to replace it. The older an HVAC system is, the less efficient it will be. Investing in new machines rather than using old ones can increase the system’s efficiency which would save you a lot of money in the future.

The HVAC experts at Family Comfort recommend you get your home’s heating system professionally inspected to ensure it is working as efficiently as possible.

Family Comfort is an HVAC company that has over 40 years of experience in plumbing repair and installation services. Family Comfort Plumbing Contractor strives to provide reliable and affordable repairs with exceptional customer service, which is why we remain one of the top contractors in New Jersey.

We also offer exceptional heating services. We use a special process to determine the right furnace installation or heating unit for your specific need. Our process will provide you with the correct heating system that will deliver maximum comfort and efficiency at the most economical rate for you and your family.

Moreover, if your heating system breaks down we offer:

• 24/7 Service. Furnaces don’t just break down during business hours. If it’s a cold night and you can’t heat your home effectively, call us immediately and we will come to you. When you have young children or elderly housemates, you can’t afford to spend a night shivering in the cold. Call us and we’ll come to you when you need us.

• Done right the first time. We stand by our work and make sure it’s done right the first time, every time. We aren’t leaving until we’re satisfied that your house is heated well and you are happy with the work that we’ve done.

• No charge for travel time. We charge for the work we do, and nothing more. While some companies like to charge customers for the drive-over, we refused to charge our customers more than they owe for the work we do. The drive over is on us.