With how much we use our heating systems during the winter, it’s no secret that homeowners would like to do everything they can to avoid costly utility bills. Sure, your energy bills are going to raise in the wintertime (as well as the summer time) as your HVAC systems take up about half of all your energy use. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t steps you can take to increase their efficiency and thereby lower the costs a bit.
There are actually a number of things you can do, some of which won’t cost you a dime. Maintaining heating efficiency is also a great way to keep repair needs at bay. Keep reading as we uncover some of the best tips and tricks to boost efficiency and save money!
It’s the time of year where older heating systems start to struggle—after all they’ve been working hard all season. If yours wasn’t properly maintained, or even simply if it’s aged to the point that it’s having trouble keeping up with demand, it might be time for you to call for repairs.
Ceiling fans are often talked about this time of year—and we’ll get to why we’re talking about them now later in this post—but something that a lot of homeowners don’t really realize is that celing fans do not actually cool the air in the room where they’re running.
Electricity is one of those home comforts that is pretty easy for any of us to take for granted nowadays. After all, we’ve had it available to us in our households throughout our entire lives—it’s always there! But… taking things for granted often means we can forget about the dangers involved if we don’t properly care for them. And electricity can certainly pose such a danger.
Wintertime is the time of year when our heating systems are truly put to the test. Because of the strain they go through this time of year versus in milder weather, it tends to be when problems arise. Since you need your system to function at its best this time of year, this is obviously not ideal. It pays to ensure you schedule routine maintenance each year, and to keep a watch for signs of trouble with your heater.
If you’ve followed our blog from the beginning, you’ve likely seen it in writing many times that we recommend you change your HVAC air filter every 1-3 months. We aren’t just throwing this out as a suggestion—we are offering this advice as a way for you to get the most effective and efficient use from your heater (and air conditioner) as possible.
Fall is trekking right along and the official start of winter is less than a month away. Chances are, you’ve begun running your heater on a daily basis already… and more cold weather is on its way. This means if you haven’t done so already, now is the time to check your heating system for any signs of trouble. Problems from last year won’t have gone away this year without professional care—and this can be compounded by lack of use over the months. Running your system on a regular basis when it’s not performing at its best will only end in frustration—and probably a broken down heater.
The holiday season is just about here, and if you’re like many homeowners in our area, you might be decorating your household, inside and out. Many times, this includes putting holiday lights up and around your home.
When it comes to your comfort, it’s hard to ignore some signs that your HVAC system is struggling. For instance, if it’s in the middle of winter and your vents are blowing out cool or lukewarm air, you’ll likely give our pros a call right away for repairs. For other problems though, such as funny noises, you may be tempted to wait on calling in a pro, or you may decide to ignore the sounds altogether, shrugging it off as a normal part of furnace operation.
Oftentimes, homeowners think that the only reason they should worry about their HVAC system’s air filter is due to the indoor air quality threats present in their home. This is partially correct, but not totally.