Winter may be nearly over in an official sense, but we still have plenty of cold weather to contend with. Hopefully you have a fully functional and efficiently working heater to get you through the rest of the season. Of course, if you are in need of Hayden, ID heating services, you don’t need to look any further—we are your team.
When it comes to heating your home, we understand you want to do so as efficiently and effectively as possible in order to save money without sacrificing comfort. There are many strategies to doing so that don’t involve using your heater any less than you want or need to.
Utilize Your Ceiling Fan
The better your home is ventilated, the more efficiently it will perform. You may have greater control over home ventilation than you realize, by way of your ceiling fan. While you can effectively use your ceiling fan to keep cooler in the summer, many homeowners don’t realize that during the winter, you can switch the direction of your fan to increase airflow from your heater.
While this won’t increase the temperature, it pushes warm air down, making you feel warmer, so you don’t have to crank your heater up as high.
Adjust Your Thermostat at Night and When You Aren’t Home
The U.S. Department of Energy claims that you can save about 10% per year on your heating bills simply by turning your thermostat down 10-15 degrees for 8 hours. If you work away from home, you can do this while you’re gone. Or, you can do it at night and just bundle up with a few extra blankets.
Only Heat the Rooms You Use
This is called zoned heating. Dampers are installed within your ductwork, and each one is connected to its own thermostat. This means you don’t have to waste energy on rooms that you aren’t using, such as guest rooms, or the kitchen or living room when you’re not in it at night.
Keep Your Heating System Clean
During your yearly maintenance appointment (or biannual, if you have a heat pump), our technicians will fully inspect your system, while also cleaning it very thoroughly. A clean system will not wear down as fast, and thus will work more efficiently, saving you in energy costs.
Invest in Good Insulation
You may be surprised by just how much energy you are losing due to escaping heat and cold, due to nothing more than insufficient insulation. While insulation is best installed during home construction, there are options for both your walls and your attic—such as blown-in insulation—which can be added after the fact, with minimal disruption to your home’s structure.
These are just a few of the energy-saving tips you can follow to save energy, and subsequently money, this season. We’re happy to discuss with you the different heating options available that will also increase your home’s efficiency.
ACI Northwest is here to help with all of your home comfort needs and concerns. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for helpful advice and friendly service!