How to Reduce Heating Bills without Sacrificing Comfort

Was your heating bill out of control last season? If you’re wanting lower heating bills this year without sacrificing comfort, now’s the time to implement a few HVAC energy tips so you can stay toasty and have lower heating costs.

Upgrading Your Thermostat

Thermostats have come a long way in the last ten years. Believe it or not, an outdated thermostat is a common reason homeowners see a high heating bill. Manual thermostats require much more monitoring and adjusting throughout the day, which means if you aren’t home to make those adjustments, your thermostat is set at one temperature. 

Upgrading to a programmable thermostat will truly help lower heating bills by allowing you to customize your HVAC unit’s schedule. If you have a smart thermostat installed, you can even control the settings remotely with your phone.

The Importance of Air Vents

Energy efficient heating requires us to go back to the basics – air vents! Your air vents are how the warm air gets dispersed throughout your home. Contrary to popular belief, you should NOT close off your vents to rooms that aren’t in use. 

While you may think this will help lower heating costs, it actually decreases air flow and can damage your HVAC system. Make sure to keep all vents open, so your HVAC system can heat your home appropriately.

Don’t forget to make sure that furniture or curtains aren’t blocking your air vents, too! Your air vents have a purpose, but if they’re being blocked by a big piece of furniture, they aren’t able to blow air into that room. Instead, it’s blowing air into the furniture, which doesn’t help to lower heating bills.

Lastly, don’t make the mistake of having your air vents blow air straight at the ceiling. Air vents should blow air across the room to heat the space. 

You can either adjust the lever on your air vents or purchase air-vent deflectors. Heating your room instead of the ceiling is key to energy efficient heating.

Don’t Skip Maintenance

If you’re wanting lower heating bills in Philadelphia, don’t skip this tip! When it comes to your furnace or boiler, make sure you are completing the necessary maintenance to stay in tip-top condition. 

You should be changing your air filter on a consistent schedule (once every one-to-three months). If neglected, the filter will become too clogged and can’t filter the air, leading to decreased air flow and increased heating bills!

Also, it’s important to schedule your annual furnace maintenance before the cold season arrives. By having an HVAC technician come out to do a tune-up, they can check to make sure everything is working as it should and fix any small problems before they become a major issue. 

An HVAC system that isn’t providing energy efficient heating can drastically increase your heating bills.

Stay Comfortable This Winter with a Tune-Up from Bill Frusco Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning! 

Are you ready for lower heating bills in Philadelphia? Make sure to follow our HVAC energy tips and contact us at Bill Frusco Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning to schedule your annual HVAC maintenance!