Tip #1: Turn Your Thermostat to 68 Degrees
It is thought that for every degree you lower your heat in the 60 to 70 degree range, you’ll save up to 5 percent on heating costs. Obviously, comfort is key. If can lower your thermostat and balance that with wearing a sweater, for instance, you may find a nice sweet spot. If you were to set your thermostat back to 55 degrees you could save in the 5 to 15 percent range.
Tip #2: Replace your filter
Replacing your filter is one of the biggest changes you can make to save on energy costs if your current filter is very dirty. When a filter is dirty, it takes a lot more warm air to reach the thermostat because it is being restricted by the dirt in the filter. Of course, when you think about this, it could be time to have a tune-up done on your system. Keeping things lubiracted and moving wil reduce energy use.
Tip #3: Use the Sun to your Advantage
Despite the freezing temperatures we can endure in Madison, the sun’s rays still bring heat into your home. Solar rays are cheap, basically, free, so take advantage of them. Open up your curtains during the day, especially on the south side of the house where more sunlight will directly hit. Trim any trees that block the sunlight from your house. Close the curtains at night to reduce drafts.
Tip #4: Keep Heat Registers Clear
You might be amazed how many of us neglect to open up the registers that deliver air into the rooms of our house. A lot of the time, for example, we may place sofas or cabinets directly in front of, or over, floor registers. The moment that air is wasted heating that object, we lose money. Furthermore, it takes longer for the thermostat to be satisfied becasue most of the air is spent heating that object in the way of the register. To cut heating costs, arrange your rooms so that airflow throughout is as unobstructed as possible.
If Harker Heating & Cooling can help you this season, please give us a call at (608) 630-9872. We’d love to help.
