We all know how expensive heating bills can be during the winter months, especially if anyone in your family likes to crank the thermostat up the second it gets to be 45 degrees outside. While you might love the feeling of being warm and toasty inside your home during the winter, it can definitely cause a dent in your bank account when you receive your monthly heating bill.
In this blog, we’re going to be sharing a few tips and tricks to keep your home warm during the winter that will cost you little to no money and will prevent your HVAC system from overworking itself.
Don’t Block Your Vents
If you tend to have the vents in some of the rooms in your home blocked by furniture, move the furniture away from the vents! Not only does this waste money because your HVAC system is trying to overwork itself, but it also makes those specific rooms in your home colder than others. If your heater is trying to overwork itself to evenly heat your home, this could cause your system to break down, resulting in costly repairs.
Keep the Heat on When You’re Away
Many homeowners fall for the myth that turning off your heat when you leave your home for extended periods of time will save you money. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. In order to keep your home warm and safe during the winter, you should keep your heat on if you plan to be away from your house for a long period of time. It’s recommended to keep your thermostat set between 60-65 degrees if you’re gone, that way, your home is still being kept warm enough to prevent frozen pipes but you’re also saving money on your heating bill.
If you were to turn your heater completely off in the middle of winter, your system will try to overwork itself once you turn it back on again because it will try to quickly heat up your home to the temperature you set the thermostat to.
Open Your Curtains and Blinds
Let the natural sunlight in! Not only is this a free source of heat, but your house will look even brighter if you allow the natural sunlight in by keeping your curtains open during the day. There’s a reason the family pets love to lay down right in front of the sunlight.
Rotate Your Ceiling Fans
During the spring and summer, you have your ceiling fans rotating counterclockwise. However, in the winter, rotating your ceiling fan to have it spin clockwise will actually push the heated air down towards the floor level of the room. This is a small hack to help bring some extra warmth to your home, but if you aren’t able to rotate it, just leave the fan off.
Seal Leaks
In the middle of winter, the last thing you need is an unwanted breeze coming through a crack in your windows or doors. When you have a few minutes of free time, go around your house and check for cracks in your windows and doors. If you notice any, simply seal them with caulk or weatherstripping.
Change the Filters
Make sure you keep up with regularly changing your air filters when your system is being used nonstop during the winter. Fresh filters will keep your heater running smoothly and will evenly distribute the heat throughout your home without the added dust particles that comes along with a dirty air filter. You can find inexpensive filters at your local home improvement store, but make sure you’re getting the right size for your system!
If you’ve tried all these tips and tricks but your heating system still isn’t doing its job, Great Lakes Heating & Air Conditioning can help! We offer fast and efficient heating repairs that can have your system working like new in no time. Give us a call at (574) 498-7556 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your appointment today.