Lower your home’s heating and cooling bills

Save money and energy by keeping your home comfort system running at peak performance. By following the simple tips below, you’ll lower your home’s heating and cooling bills and experience increased comfort.

Heating system tips for energy efficiency.

• Clean your heating filters. Check them every couple of weeks and change them at least twice in the season, or as directed by the manufacturer.
• Check and maintain your insulation. Improperly insulated walls, floors, attics, basements and crawlspaces drain away heat and can also lead to moisture imbalance. Adding weather stripping and caulk around windows and doors can also go a long way to improving your home’s insulation.
• Turn down your thermostat. Keeping your thermostat five degrees cooler can lower your heating bills and still not affect your home’s comfort. Install a programmable thermostat to keep temperatures regular.
• Clean the furnace area. Don’t keep chemicals or cleaning products near your heater, and don’t store anything next to it that could impede ventilation.
• Keep vents and returns free of obstructions. Don’t lay carpet over vents, place furniture over or in front of them, or obstruct the flow of air.
• Install a humidifier. Humidity in summer makes you feel hotter; the same is true in winter. Dry air feels cooler than moist air. A simple humidifier may make the home feel five degrees warmer than a home with dry air.
• Have your home heating system inspected by a NATE-certified technician. Even the most efficient system can suffer if it is not properly maintained. A properly serviced system heats more efficiently.

Air conditioning tips for lower bills.

• Raise the thermostat about five degrees, because each degree you raise the thermostat will save you a percentage off your cooling energy bill.
• Don’t obstruct airflow around the air conditioner unit – keep it clear of plants and debris.
• Clean your air filters. Check them every couple of weeks and change them at least twice in the season, or as directed by the manufacturer.
• For optimum comfort have your cooling system checked early in the year by a NATE-certified technician.