When the weather turns colder, everyone turns up their heat to keep their homes warm and comfortable for the entire family. But, this is a delicate balancing act; we want to keep warm without spending exorbitant amounts of money on our energy bills. According to Energy Star, the average American home uses more energy for heating than anything else. Many conservation tips don’t work, and there is a lot of misleading information on how to save energy on home heating. In this article, we will look at five costly heating mistakes that you need to avoid if you want to save money.
- Turning Up the Heat
Many people believe that that can take shortcuts with their heating systems. They attempt to heat their homes up faster by cranking up the heat, and this is a widely held belief. But, this simply isn’t true. A home will only heat at a single speed, depending on the make, model, power output, insulation levels, and many other factors. Turning up the heat will only force the heater to work harder, this expends more energy, and it will cost you more money. Another key factor is that overworked heating and cooling equipment is more prone to failure, and it may break down when you need it most. An HVAC system that is overworked will also have a lowered useful lifespan leading to an earlier than anticipated equipment failure.
- Not Paying Attention to Air Gaps
When you heat or cool the air in your home, it costs a significant amount of money. So, it makes good sense to keep that treated air in your home and circulate it to keep the indoor temperature comfortable. But, the treated air is very prone to escaping if you’re home has air gaps that are not sealed. When treated air escapes, it makes the HVAC system less efficient, and the equipment needs to work harder to compensate. This can increase the frequency of failures and lower the useful lifespan, as discussed earlier. The best way to prevent this problem, boost efficiency, and use less energy is to install draft stoppers and weatherstripping around doors and windows.
- Relying on Less Efficient Sources of Heat
If the home heating system is not providing sufficient heating or it’s not energy efficient, it can make the home less comfortable. Many people attempt to cope with this situation by using a space heater or getting a real fire going in the fireplace. This can be effective, but it’s important to bear a few things in mind before you choose this route. Firstly, a fireplace that’s no been used in a while could be blocked, this can be a fire hazard, and you will obviously need some fuel. A space heater can be effective, but it’s important to leave some space around it for safety, and it will use more energy in the medium to long term. These heating methods are not a great way to heat your entire home, they can offer a limited solution for a single room, but there are better alternatives. A modern HVAC system can organize the heating into zones to heat the parts of the home that in use at certain times of the day. A smart thermometer is another great technology that offers plenty of control and energy saving features.
- Closing Vents and Doors in the Home
Many people close the doors and vents in their homes to block the flow of air and keep the heated air out of rooms that are not in use. This seems to be a logical approach; after all, why would anyone want to heat a room that isn’t occupied? But, this is a very bad idea; the vents need to be clear to allow the air to flow throughout the home. When the airflow is compromised, it will place extra strain on your HVAC equipment, and this increases the energy used. It’s a better idea to keep the vents slightly open and doors slightly ajar in rooms that are not in regular use.
- Heating Homes at Inappropriate Times
When a furnace runs all the time, it can really waste a great deal of money. Any opportunity that you can take to give your heating system a break will reduce the strain on the equipment and save energy leading to lower utility bills. If you have a programmable thermostat, it should be set to a schedule that will run the heating system at a lower temperature when people are sleeping or out of the home. Even an adjustment of a few degrees can save you as much as 10% on your annual heating bill. An even better alternative is the smart thermostat that allows the user to make very detailed changes remotely and in real time via an app on their favorite device. When you control your heating system via WiFi, you can turn the heating on around 30 mins before you arrive home. This can even be achieved if you’re going to come home earlier or later, and you can integrate this system with other smart devices.
Efficient home heating is a delicate balance of a variety of different factors. It’s is possible to stay warm and comfortable without spending too much on your energy bills. But, this may require some changes, the home needs to be insulated well, the HVAC system should be regularly maintained, and the heating has to be controlled effectively. Adding a programmable or smart thermostat will give the user far more control over many aspects of their heating system. Even smaller changes such as fixing an air gap around a window or adding some extra insulation can help.
If you want to learn more about making your heating system more effective and improve energy efficiency, contact your local HVAC specialist for expert help and advice. They could carry out an energy audit for you, suggest ways to improve or upgrade your equipment and make your home heating more energy efficient without compromising on comfort.