If you live anywhere near Blair or Omaha, Nebraska, you don’t really need us to tell you that the cold months have started. Indeed, the cold weather hasn’t been slacking off here, and we’ve enjoyed as many freezing morning drives to work that you have.
While there are things to appreciate about the fall and winter seasons, freezing to death isn’t really one of them, and that’s why it’s important to make sure you have a functional and reliable heater or furnace in your home.
Unfortunately, there’s a literal price to be paid for warmth, and the cozy comfort you experience at home might be offset by a hefty power bill. When will the injustice end?
Fortunately, you’re not helpless here. There are actually several ways to reduce the cost of your heating bill, and it’s entirely possible to achieve a “win-win” scenario if you put these practices into use — one where you’re both warm, and not paying a fortune in utility bills.
How to Save Money On Your Heating Bill
Turn Down the Thermostat
The first mistake that most people make in racking up their heating expenses is turning the thermostat way, way too high. Most folks don’t actually do research on what their ideal thermostat setting is, so they either set it to automatic, or high enough to leave no doubts of guaranteed warmth (which is usually somewhere ludicrously high, like in the 80 or 90 degree Fahrenheit range).
You’d be surprised at how efficient the heater is at “lower” temperatures. Did you know that 68 degrees is enough for most homes to feel toasty?
However, if you want to find the best setting, we have something you can try.
Next time you run the heater, run it as low as you think it could go while still being warm. If it is, in fact, warm, lower it. Keep doing so until you find the temperature at which the heater is no longer providing any real warmth. That’s essentially the baseline temperature, and all you need for a warm home is to go slightly above that.
Invest in Space Heaters
Don’t get us wrong — if you choose not to run your furnace but you have a bunch of space heaters plugged in 24/7, you’re probably not doing your power bill any huge favors. But if you’re smart about it, having a couple space heaters can actually be a great way to keep warm without breaking the bank.
Space heaters are good for heating, well, a space, while your HVAC system is meant to course through your entire home. However, this is impractical if a lot of your home or apartment goes unused for most of the day.
We have many clientele who have two-story houses with three or four bedrooms, and yet only two or three rooms are being occupied at the same time. Why waste money heating your own home in occasions like this? Get a space heater or two for those rooms that have constant activity and give your heater a break.
Wear Really Fuzzy Socks and Slippers
Did you know that one part of the body can be responsible for making everything else feel cold? This is especially true with your feet — your feet don’t like to be cold, and when they are, you often feel like you need to warm your entire home.
In reality, you’re often not nearly as cold as you think you are if you warm your feet. If pretty much any part of your body is disproportionately cold compared to the rest, the solution is often just to warm that specific area.
And what better way to warm your feet than with incrediblye fuzzy socks? These are abundantly available for ladies. There are so many options that men, frankly, should be envious of the sheer variety of miraculous footwear.
But that doesn’t mean men are out of options. While they’re harder to find at the store, did you know that there’s a staggering amount of fuzzy men’s socks online? Don’t get cold feet on buying some for yourself — you might not even need a heater when you’re wearing these bad boys.
Have Cozy Nights By the Fire
If you don’t have a fireplace at home, we recommend you just skip this point, because we don’t want to be responsible for you creating a fire pit in your living room. But if you do happen to have a fireplace, have you considered turning off your heater and using it for heat instead?
This system isn’t perfect. Fireplaces are lovely, but they do a poor job of heating anything outside of their general vicinity, so you won’t be feeling their effects if you’re upstairs in a distant bedroom. Gas fireplaces also tend to have a glass pane in front, which further limits the overall heat distribution.
But there are perks of a fireplace that you don’t get from a furnace system or a space heater.
First of all, fires are simply enchanting. One feels a connection to the natural world when they sit by a fire, and they have a tendency to evoke a peaceful and meditative feeling. Truth be told, there’s nothing like sitting around a fire, by yourself or with a loved one, and relaxing in its company with dimmed out lights.
Sitting by the campfire on Christmas Eve as the snow falls is an idyllic picture that’s often used in picture books, and it’s easy to see why — it’s just not the same replacing the fireplace with a space heater or HVAC system.
Change Your Air Filters
It’s rare that we write a blog post that doesn’t somehow end up mentioning the importance of changing your filter. This is something we cannot stress enough — changing your air filter is cheap, easy, and it can make a world of difference! This is true both for the day-to-day efficiency of your HVAC system, and its overall longevity.
To break it down, your air filter is there to catch pollutants, allergens, and airborne debris that could potentially lower the air quality of your home. Predictably, if you leave it for too long without changing it, it becomes clogged up and air has a harder time passing through it. The effect it has on your heating is twofold — you get less overall airflow, and your system has to work harder, which can rack up your bills.
Changing your air filter costs less than a dinner for two, and it can be done in just a couple minutes. If you haven’t done it in a while, you’re very likely to notice a difference in your heating.
Call for Furnace Repair, Maintenance, or Replacement
Finally, one of the best ways to save money on your heating situation is just making sure that your system works optimally. There’s no better way to do this than to get a professional checkup from HVAC contractors in your area.
If you happen to be in Blair, Omaha, or the surrounding areas in Nebraska, Powerhouse Heating and Air Conditioning is your best option. We’re a team of heating and air conditioning professionals and we take our job seriously. We have a reputation for putting the needs of our clients first and serving our community with enthusiasm.
If you call us to check up on your heating system or make repairs, it will save you money in the long run. Does your heater or furnace need repair? Do you want to get it checked up just to make sure everything is in order? Whatever HVAC needs you have, we can help. Contact us today!
