Opening your heating bill during the winter months can leave you flabbergasted at the cost of simply trying to stay warm during periods of cold weather. In addition, the more energy you consume, the more of a carbon footprint you leave behind. Thankfully, the following tips will help you reign in your heating bill and improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Install or Replace Weatherstripping
If you haven’t all ready, install weatherstripping around all exterior doors and windows. These cheap and effective energy-saving items are easy to install and readily available at home improvement centers and department stores. Since weatherstripping can wear down and degrade overtime, it is important to replace it every few years. Don’t forget to install inexpensive foam gaskets underneath the outlets and switch covers to keep drafts from seeping through. Furthermore, cover windows and patio doors with plastic film that shrinks when heat — such as from a hair dryer — is applied to it.
Update the Thermostat
Upgrade that old dial thermostat to a programmable thermostat that allows you to set the temperature you want your home to be at various times of day. Simply upgrading your thermostat to a programmable model allows you complete control over the temperature in your home whether you are there or not, thus saving you money on your heating bill. For example, if you have children, you can set the programmable thermostat to reach 73 degrees a few minutes before they get up for school. This allows the house to be warmer while they get ready for the day.
Prepare your Water Heater
Despite being hidden in an out-of-the-way location, your water heater could be contributing to a higher heating bill. Fortunately, with a few minor adjustments, you can make your water heater a bit more energy-friendly. Simply turn the water heater temperature to no higher than 125-degrees, wrap the heater with an insulation “blanket” and cover pipes with pipe insulation.
For more information about how you can save on your heating bill, contact the experts at CCAC, providing reliable and affordable services to the Coastal Bend area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heating bills and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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