If you are living in Virginia, you must have heard others asking, ‘how do I reduce the heating bill’? The most common reason behind the heating unit’s high bills is that they are not repaired on time. Most people don’t get the heaters maintained due to the cost. People feel that maintenance is an unnecessary cost and should not be done every year. However, such people also get their air conditioning or heaters repaired more and may feel pressured to purchase new ones quicker than others. Here are a few tips to help reduce your heating bill.
Service The Furnace
If your furnace works well, your heating bill would be low. Therefore, you should get your furnace serviced every year by the Virginia heating repair company. Furthermore, you should replace the air filter during the season and once during the cold months. If you can upgrade your air filter, do so. Having a new filter will allow your heating unit to work more efficiently and last for a longer duration. It has also been observed that 30% of hot air gets lost due to problems in the ducts. Therefore, get your ducts inspected as well.
Insulate Well
Make sure that all the cracks in your home are sealed. Check for drafts around the regions where there are doors, windows or pipes, cable or electrical outlets. Draft blockers are fairly inexpensive and can reduce your heating bill. Alternatively, you can also shrink-wrap your windows. They will not look pretty, but they will save you money.
Reduce The Thermostat
You can program your thermostat to shut off during the daytime when you are not home. Set the thermostat to switch on 30 minutes before you arrive home. This way, when you reach home, you will be greeted with a warm environment and will also be able to save around 20% on your monthly bill. Furthermore, try to keep the thermostat’s temperature at 60 degrees during the night. Put on some socks or switch on the heater if it becomes cold.
Check Alternate Heating Methods.
If you are going to spend a few hours in one room, there is no point in having the furnace on. Instead, you can use a concentrated space heater. This way, you will not be eating the entire house, and you will be saving a lot on the energy bill as well.
Use Humidifier
A humidifier can help keep you feeling warm and toasty without dramatically increasing the heating bill. If the air is moist, it will have a warmer effect compared to if it is dry. Therefore, when the heating is on, run the humidifier as well.
Check The Water Heater.
Along with the furnace, you should also check your water heater. If your water heater is old, it will take longer to heat your water and increase your energy bill. Check out water heater installation cost Fairfax for more details.