Fall’s here, and so is the struggle to control your heating bill. Here’s how you can try.
Steve Gadsby, owner of FurnaceUSA (Photo: USA Today / Grateful Ventures)
Run the fan system 24/7
Often, people overheat a home because they feel cold in one specific location. Constantly running the fan on the furnace redistributes heat throughout the house.
“If you do that, maybe you can turn your thermostat up less than you would have because you feel warmer in the areas that you want to feel warmer,” Gadsby said.
Shut off some areas
Close the vents in areas of the house you’re not using. But don’t shut off too much of your house because you can overheat your furnace, he cautioned.
‘I’ve seen this before at customers’ houses where they shut down 70 or 80% of the house, but at the same time, your furnace needs enough duct capacity for it to properly breathe and properly flow the heat out of the system,” Gadsby said. “So you can shut down parts of the house, but you can’t shut down most of the house.”
Gadsby recommends closing blinds and shades to prevent heat from escaping through the windows. (Photo: USA Today / Grateful Ventures)
Close the blinds
“One of the quickest and cheapest and easiest ways that you can save money on your heating system is just by closing your blinds,” he said.
But make sure to open blinds and drapes to let in natural sunlight when the sun is shining, which will heat the home naturally, Gadsby said.
Get a humidifier
“In drier climates, adding a new humidifier can also help you feel warmer in the home, which can ultimately mean that you can turn your temperature down a couple of degrees,” Gadsby said.
Consider insulation
Adding attic insulation will help save money on utilities, but you need to factor in how cold the area is that you’re in and how long you’re going to live at the home to make sure that it’s worth it, Gadsby said.
Check for air leakage
Seal openings around windows and doors that let in cold air with caulking and weather stripping, Gadsby suggested.
Make sure your filter is clean. If it's at all plugged, air and heat distribution around the house will significantly drop. (Photo: USA Today / Grateful Ventures)
Get a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat allows users to preset times for the furnace to turn on and off throughout the day.
Gadsby suggested having it turn your furnace on when you’re en route to or at home, and off when you’re away.
“Why have a warm house if there’s not going to be anybody in it?” he said. “And the same thing goes with night. Most people like their bedrooms a bit colder. Drop the temperature down at night – maybe 20 minutes before you go to bed, have it off all night, essentially – then have it come back up in the morning. Instantly you’re using half the gas essentially in your house that you would’ve otherwise been using.”