Are you ready to spend the next 6 months running your furnace nonstop? Yeah, we aren’t either. But that’s the reality that many of us face every winter, and it’s that time of year once again. It’s pretty easy for natural gas bills to get out of control when the temperature plummets. So here are a few things you should remember in order to shave a few dollars off your energy bill this winter.
Strips and Seals
Carefully check weather stripping and window seals, and replace as needed. The plastic, rubber, and silicone commonly used for weatherproofing homes tend crack and fail as they age, and are one of the most common causes of heat loss during winter. Without effective sealing, your heater is going to be working overtime to keep up with drafts.
Window Coverings
Think back to the last cold day you spent inside a toasty warm house, or sitting in your car with the heat on. Can you remember the chill you felt when your hands or face got close to the glass of a window? Even dual pane windows allow heat to radiate outdoors. Put up curtains over all your windows, and be sure to draw them shut when it gets cold out.
Filters
If you have central heat and air installed, chances are that you never checked the air filters after you stopped running the heat last winter. Check all of your filters and replace any that are choked with dust.
Ceiling Fans
Don’t let all the heat hang out along the ceiling–or worse yet, escape into the attic–where it won’t do any good. Use ceiling fans to keep warm air properly circulated.
Hot Water Heater Jacket
When you’re cold, you put a sweater or jacket on, right? The same thing applies to your heater. Purchase an insulating jacket/blanket for your hot water heater, to minimize the amount of heat lost through the walls of the tank.
Fireplace Flue
It can be wonderful to light a fire and have a quiet evening at home. But when you’re not using the fireplace, don’t forget to close the flue. Otherwise, the warm air in your home will escape through the chimney.
Use a Programmable Thermostat
When your home is unoccupied, it doesn’t make sense to keep the heat going full blast. If you have a programmable thermostat, set it so that the heat doesn’t run as much–or at all–during the day, and only starts up again shortly before you usually get home. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, consider investing in an upgrade.
Close Off Unused Rooms
Don’t make your heater work harder than it has to. If there are rooms in your home that you rarely or never use, close them off and close any heating vents in those rooms. This cuts down on the volume of air that your heater has to keep warm.
Upgrade Your Furnace
No matter what you do, if your heater isn’t energy efficient, then your natural gas bill is always going to higher than necessary. If your heater is more than a decade old, do some research on your model and compare it to the specs on new home furnaces. If the difference in energy efficiency is great enough, consider upgrading to a newer, less costly to run heater.
