subject: Top Reasons Youre Overspending On Heating Your Home [print this page] With wintertime underway, many homeowners are shocked to receive heating bills that are very high. The expense of heating your home can be a huge burden for many families, and many are concerned about how to lower this expense. While you have to expect to pay some costs to keep your house comfortable during the winter time, there are also certain things that can increase the expense of home heating and cooling more than is normal. Overpaying for heat, which is already expensive, is something that no one wants to do so you should always avoid problems or issues that could result in overspending to heat your home.
There are many different factors that can result in paying more to heat your home than is necessary. Here are some of the top reasons that people overspend on their heating needs:
1. You arent properly maintaining your furnace
Your furnace and heating system needs to be maintained, just like your car and the rest of your home does. Changing the filter and having your furnace routinely checked for worn out or broken parts is important to keep your furnace running at optimal efficiency. Many HVAC professionals will provide annual service contracts to allow you to make sure your furnace is running as well as it can be.
2. Your furnace is too old to function efficiently.
There have been many advancements in technology in recent years that have resulted in furnaces being much more energy efficient than in the past. For example, many furnaces now are variable speed furnaces as opposed to single speed furnaces that are either on or off. Having an old furnace that isnt energy efficient can cost you a lot of money in the long run in the form of higher heating bills. If your furnace is old, look into the cost of replacing. You should also check for government rebates or rebates through your electric company that might allow you to lower your cost for purchasing a new unit.
3. You arent using a programmable thermostat
Your home does not necessarily always have to be heated to the same temperature. You can lower the temperature of your home when you are sleeping or when you are at work without experiencing a decline in comfort in your home. This can save you a great deal of money and is effortless if you install a programmable thermostat. By the time you wake up in the morning or come home from work at night, the thermostat can adjust the temperature upwards so your home is comfortable for you.
4. You have leaks and gaps in your home that are letting air out
Keeping conditioned air in your home and keeping cold air out are both essential to keeping your heating costs at a reasonable level. If you have gaps around windows, doors or other areas in your home, this can significantly increase your heating bills.
By resolving these leaks or taking care of some of the other issues in your home that are causing your heating bills to be higher than they should be, you can make your home more energy efficient, help your furnace to have a longer life span, and cut your heating costs down to a more manageable level.
