In Jacksonville, FL, heating doesn’t concern us nearly as much as air conditioning does. We’re a warm weather city and heat tends to cause more discomfort and worry than cold does. Even so, our heaters get called into service on those winter nights when temperatures drop, and our nonchalant attitude about the issue means that many homeowners just accept higher heating bills without taking steps to reduce them. This can be a costly mistake. With a little care and foresight, you can save money on your monthly bills without skipping on a warm home during those cold winter days. Besides the obvious solution of lowering the thermostat and dressing warmly, here are some ways to lower your heating bills.
Start by programming your thermostat to lower or eliminate the heat when you leave for work each day. There’s no need to warm an empty house and with a programmable thermostat, you can schedule it to turn the heat on ten minutes before you arrive home, eliminating the need to wait. You can also lower your thermostat at night before you go to bed and bundle up with extra blankets and comforters.
You might also look into installing insulation in your home, or if you already have insulation, adding more. Not only does this help retain warm air in the winter, but it keeps cool air inside in the winter, lowering your air conditioning bills as well as heating bills.
Finally, you should schedule a regular maintenance session at the beginning and end of each heating season in order to keep your heater running as efficiently as possible. A technician will clean dirty components, tighten loose bolts and run the heater for a period to look for any specific problems. That allows you to catch small problems before they become big ones, as well as reducing friction on moving parts and other key components.
For more ways to lower your heating bills, or to schedule a repair or maintenance visit, call AC Designs Inc. today. You’ll be glad you did!