With cold temperatures in full swing, you’re likely spending more time indoors with the heater turned on. To help you keep energy costs in check while maintaining home comfort, we’re sharing five of the most common home heating mistakes and how you can avoid making them.
1. Heating Your Home When Nobody’s Home
Are you regularly out of the house for more than a few hours at a time? Whether you’re at work or away for the weekend, it doesn’t make sense to heat a home when no one is there. A programmable thermostat can help you regulate the temperature to your daily schedule. You can also program it to warm up the house before you return home or wake up in the morning. Making this one change can save you substantially on your monthly utility bill.
2. Leaving Windows Open or Unlocked
Besides being a safety concern, open and unlocked windows let in cold air. If it’s cold enough to turn on the heat, first check to make sure windows are securely closed to prevent cold air from infiltrating your home and letting warm air escape.
3. Forgetting to Turn Off Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans are great for reducing moisture and unpleasant odors from your home. However, they also draw warm air out. So, make sure to turn off exhaust fans in the bathroom and kitchen once you’re finished using them.
4. Cranking the Thermostat
Turning your thermostat to a temperature higher than you need doesn’t heat your home faster. You’ll only be running it longer than you need to, resulting in higher utility bills. In other words, only turn the thermostat to the temperature you want.
5. Neglecting to Schedule Regular Maintenance
Your heat pump or furnace is a complex piece of equipment that requires regular upkeep to stay efficient. If you haven’t scheduled a tune up lately, give Bruce’s a call today at 480-968-5652. A tune up of your heating unit, includes identifying and addressing small issues before they become major problems, helps extend the life your HVAC system, and keeps your utility costs down.
Call an HVAC expert at Bruce’s today at 480-968-5652.