An unavoidable truth about winters in the Detroit area is that they require homeowners to spend a considerable amount on home heating. You can’t avoid seasonal heating expenditures, but there are many ways to take charge of your heating costs and keep winter utility bills low.
Turn down the heat
Setting your furnace to 68 degrees saves energy and reduces heating bills. Within a range of 60-70 degrees, every degree you reduce temperature settings saves about five percent on heating costs.
Insulate
Insulate your water heater and hot water pipes. Apply window treatments that keep out cold air. Add insulation in your attic, basement, walls and ceiling if needed. Insulate the furnace’s ductwork to prevent energy loss. Add weatherstripping around doors and windows to block cold air drafts.
Use natural heat
Open the curtains to let in sunshine, a plentiful source of free natural heating.
Control air flow
Close fireplace dampers where air can escape. Make sure heating vents and registers are clear of blockages so warm air can get from your furnace into your house.
Reduce hot water use
Take shorter showers and lower the temperature on your water heater. The 120-degree setting provides water hot enough for most home needs. Install low-flow shower heads that give you plenty of water for bathing while reducing hot water usage by up to 50 percent.
Change furnace filters
Change the filters in your furnace monthly during the winter. Clean filters improve furnace efficiency and effectiveness. Dirty filters can cause furnace breakdowns, so frequent filter changes are an easy and inexpensive way to head off bigger repair expenses.
Hit the “off” switch
Turn off unneeded lights or appliances. Shut down computers and other electronics when not in use, or unplug them completely. Turn off kitchen and bathroom ventilating fans when they’re not needed; unattended ventilation fans can pull a lot of heated air out of your house.
Since 1945, Aladdin Heating & Cooling has provided trusted residential, commercial and industrial HVAC sales and services to customers in the Detroit area, including Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. Contact us today for more information on easy and economical ways to lower your heating bills.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heating costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Aladding Heating & Cooling services the Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!