During the winter season, it is not unusual for your energy bills to go up. Unfortunately, the costly utility bills can mess up your budget, especially if you were not prepared. What’s more, more people are spending time indoors during winter, driving up energy consumption. To help keep the cost of your energy down, discussed below are some tips to help.
Have Your HVAC System Serviced
An HVAC system is responsible for almost half your energy bills, and that is when it is running efficiently with no damage. When it is worn out or damaged, it uses more energy while struggling to heat your home. Therefore, as winter approaches, ensure that your system is cleaned, has undergone Preventative HVAC Maintenance and heater repair, and ready to run efficiently. By maintaining your HVAC system and home insulation, you can reduce the energy bill in your home by 30%. This is a technician like one that does ductless mini split repair in Fairfield, NJ can check if there are any issues earlier and repair them, saving you inconvenience. Besides, a well-maintained HVAC system runs smoothly, hence heating your home correctly. If you need to do an ac repair or ac replacement, you can hire experts that do ac repair in Decatur, GA or ac repair in Yukon, OK.
Check Your Home’s Insulation
Insulating your home is one of the affordable things you can do that will help reduce your electricity bills during winter. With a well-insulated home, your heating system will not have to do much to warm your home. The attic is a great place to start since it can allow more heat to stay in your living areas. Besides the attic, heat also escapes through your walls, particularly near electrical outlets and any other place where utilities enter the house. Look at areas around the plumbing to prevent heat from escaping the house and prevent the pipes from freezing. You can contact an insulation company to come and inspect the whole house and suggest parts that need to be correctly insulated as that will make the work easier for you.
Replace Inefficient Windows
Windows are notorious for leaking out heat from your home, especially in older houses. If you are using old and inefficient windows, you may want to replace them this winter. Up to 55% of homeowners plan to start or continue with home upgrades this winter. One project you may want to add is replacing your windows to make your home energy efficient. This will also make your home more secure as there is one burglary happening every 13 seconds. Another alternative is sealing the window with clear plastic cling wrap. Window film is affordable, easy to install and remove, and readily available in any home improvement store. You can also install weather stripping around the windows to seal the air. Hiring experts from Pure Energy Window to enhance Michigan homes’ energy efficiency with premium window replacements can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs while increasing overall comfort. By investing in high-quality windows, homeowners can also boost their property value and contribute to a more sustainable environment.
Use LED Lights on The Holiday Decorations
Even if you are simply using a few strings or plan to go full-on with the Christmas decorations, choose LED lights as they will help save your energy bills. They use 75% less energy than the usual incandescent lights, and they last longer, meaning you will use them for several holidays. While they might be a little more costly than the regular lights, you cannot compare them to the energy cost they will save in the long run.
Moreover, as you deck your halls with festive LED lights, it’s also crucial to keep an eye out for any necessary lighting repairs.
Reset the Temperature on Your Water heater
After the HVAC system, your water heater is next in line for appliances using the most energy in your home. Heating water uses a lot of power, yet you will find several people have set the water heater’s thermostat relatively high. Often, the water heater heats water to a set temperature and maintains it. That means it cycles on and off, constantly reheating water to that temperature even if no one has used it. Go to the setting and lower it by a few degrees, and you will have managed to save up some cash spent on energy bills. Also, there is a chance you will not notice the difference unless you take extremely hot showers. If it needs replacement, you may need to contact services that do water heater installation & replacement in Gaithersburg, MD.
These few changes will help reduce your energy bills and make your winter comfortable. Simply look for those small changes you can make in your home when it comes to energy efficiency.
