Why Your Heating Bill May Be Higher Than Normal
Is your heating bill higher than normal this winter? While winter energy bills are expected to be a little higher than they were in the fall, they shouldn’t skyrocket from one season to the next. If you’re experiencing jaw dropping energy bills each month, there could be several reasons why, but never fear! There are many solutions available for keeping your home and your wallet comfortable this winter.
Poor Insulation
Insulation is often overlooked or not even thought about by homeowners. This can be an expensive oversight, as insulation plays a major role in keeping your home comfortable and your energy bills low. If your home is older, there is a good chance your insulation is lacking from deterioration or insufficient building standards from years back.
Adding more insulation to the walls and attic can help seal up your home against the cold. Regardless of the age of your home, be on the lookout for any gaps around your windows or doors as well. Warm air can easily escape out of these crevices and it’ll reflect on your energy bills. Lastly, consider upgrading your windows to be double paned. Improving in any of these areas can make a big difference in your monthly energy bills!
Holiday Baking
This may seem like an odd idea at first – how is my holiday baking raising my energy bill? Well, consider how many times you reheat the oven and the variety of other appliances you use. In order to save money, start batch baking during the holiday season. Try baking a variety of sweet treats in one sitting to avoid reheating your oven over and over. There’s no need to waste energy and money in that regard. Get creative with your cost cutting techniques. If you just cooked dinner, throw a pie in the oven right after to make use of the heat you’ve already generated.
Bumping Up The Heat
We know, nobody likes being freezing in their own home. It can be very tempting to keep bumping up the heat a few degrees throughout a cold winter day. Resist the temptation and instead, throw on another layer of clothes or snuggle up under a comfy blanket to keep your system from working overtime. You can even utilize the fireplace and use less energy than you would by constantly running your heating system.
Invest In A Programmable Thermostat
Are there areas of your home that aren’t used much? Are you away at work for the majority of the day during the week? If so, it might be worth installing a programmable thermostat. These high-tech thermostats can heat certain zones of your home (when paired with a zoning system) and leave the unused sections a little cooler. If you’re away from home, you can set your thermostat according to your schedule! Keep temperatures low during the day and set to heat back up again before you arrive back home. These thermostats are proven to save more energy than traditional thermostats.
If you are hosting guests, it’s safe to turn down your thermostat a degree or two. Having more bodies in the home will naturally warm your house. If you keep the heat as high as normal, the odds are that your home and guests will be too warm!
An Inefficient Heating System
Sometimes your heating system itself can be the source of the constant rise in energy bills. If your system is past its prime or running inefficiently, your heating bills can be much higher than they used to be. There are several tell-tale signs that your system is the cause of the problem. If your system is making odd noises, definitely call the professionals to inspect it. It is always a good idea to enroll in a regularly scheduled maintenance program to help avoid any unexpected surprises.
If you find yourself continually cranking up the heat but never feeling warmer, this is also a sign that your system may need repair or replacement. Give Bunns & Bennett a call to install a new system or to get your current system back up and running efficiently. We’re your local American Standard Customer Care Dealer in Huntsville, AL. Our factory trained technicians specialize in making sure your system operates like it should.
We Have Your Back
If you have concerns about your system or rising energy bills, give Bunns & Bennett a call at (256) 536-0967, or email us at [email protected]. We proudly offer fast, friendly, professional HVAC service. We’re ready to help when you need us!
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