How to Heat Your Home Efficiently

As winter approaches, many homeowners immediately start cranking up their heat thinking that this is the best way to keep their home comfortable in the colder weather. However, constantly running your heat at a high temperature all throughout the day and night is a recipe for disaster when it comes to your utility bills. There are definitely other, and more inexpensive ways, to keep your home warm and comfortable without breaking the bank.

In this blog, you’ll learn how you can keep that warm and cozy feeling in your home throughout winter for little to no cost. And don’t worry, we aren’t suggesting replacing your windows!

6 Winter Heating Tips to Save on Your Energy Bills

Rotate Your Ceiling Fans

Throughout summer, your ceiling fans were probably rotating counterclockwise to circulate the air around your rooms. However, when ceiling fans are rotating clockwise, they actually push the warm air down. If you give this a try, make sure to run the fan at its lowest speed. If you feel like the fan is still cooling down your room, just leave it off.

Don’t Block Your Vents

This might sound obvious, but if you have furniture blocking your vents, the heated air will not be able to flow through the vent and circulate around the room. Not only does this waste money and energy, but it will make you think something is wrong with your heating system if your rooms still feel cold. Make sure you move any couches, chairs, or tables away from your vents to avoid the block of airflow. When vents are blocked, your HVAC system will have to overwork itself, essentially forcing the air out, which can cause a major disruption to your heating system.

Open the Blinds

Keeping your blinds and curtains closed can block the natural sunlight during the day. Although the weather is colder in the winter, the sun still tends to shine during the day, so keeping your blinds, curtains, or drapes open will allow the natural sunlight to beam through your windows, adding a bit of extra warmth. We all love some good natural light, but it can also add some heat to your home, all for free!

Adjust Your Thermostat

If you like to have your thermostat set to a comfortable 72 degrees in the winter, try lowering it, even if it’s just by 2 or 3 degrees. If your thermostat is set between 68-70 degrees, that won’t change much in terms of your comfort levels, but it can definitely make a huge difference in your energy savings and lower your heating bills. You can save up to 3% on your bills for each degree you lower your thermostat.

Replace Your Filters

Replacing your air filters regularly is one of the best ways to use your HVAC system efficiently. Over time, your filters will collect dust, dirt, and other debris that will eventually spread throughout your home if they aren’t replaced. Get into the habit of checking your filters every 30 days and changing them at least every 60 to 90 days. Make sure you know the correct filter size to buy before you head to your local home improvement store to grab a replacement.

Schedule Seasonal Heating Maintenance

Before winter really kicks in, schedule a heating maintenance appointment with Einstein's Plumbing & Heating, Inc.. Maintaining your HVAC system will ensure it works properly when you need it the most and helps prevent unwanted heating horror stories in the winter. There’s nothing worse than a heater that breaks down in the middle of January, so if you schedule a maintenance appointment with us, we’ll be sure to catch and repair any issues with your heater just in time.