Genius Ways to Save Energy During Winter

Winter is finally here. Apart from signaling the holiday season's start, it also ushers in months of more expensive bills. In places like Lehi, Utah, the chance of snow is 60 percent, with temperatures reaching lows of 19 degrees Fahrenheit. There's also the stay at home orders still in effect, so you're in the house more than usual.

Because of these factors, you not only crank up your heating system to keep your temperature comfortable, you also use it more because you spend more time at home. Long story short, you'll see a spike in your energy bills during these cold, winter months.

You may also be saving your money because job security during a pandemic is precarious, at best. Millions of Americans have already applied for unemployment benefits these past few months. So what can you do to save up on your heating bills while also keeping you and your family comfortable this season?

Keep Your Temperatures in Control

If you want to save money, you'll have to make adjustments to your lifestyle. Try to keep your thermostat at the lowest value that you're comfortable with. If you're out of the house, lower the temperature, even more, so your heating system doesn't work as hard. If you have a smart thermostat, you can easily adjust and schedule your temperature easily.

Keep Your Heating System Maintained

Your heating system is your lifeline during the winter, especially now that you're stuck in the house for a couple of weeks or even months more. A malfunctioning or even broken heating system will not only use more power to keep your home comfortably warm, but it may also break down entirely, leaving you with an expensive repair bill. Here are some quick maintenance tips to keep your system in great shape.

• Clean or replace furnace filter - You need to clean your furnace filter every month, especially if you have pets and if your home is dusty. When your filter gets dirty, it can clog up or let polluted air and debris into your heating system and cause it to malfunction. Please turn off your furnace, pull out the filter and rinse it in the sink to get all the dirt and grime out. Let it dry before returning it to your system. If the dust is just too much to clean off, you can always replace it with a new one from Amazon or the nearest hardware store.
• Check for short cycling - Sometimes furnaces turn off or restart before they reach their target temperature. This annoying problem is called short-cycling, and it's a symptom of issues like overheating, a broken thermostat sensor, blocked exhaust vents, and dirty furnace filters. Let an HVAC and plumbing services expert find out what the problem is and repair it. The issue may require the furnace to be opened and for parts to be replaced, which the average homeowner doesn't have the experience and expertise to do.

Find Air Leaks - And Get Rid of Them

Drafts, also known as air leaks, introduce cold outdoor air into your home, causing your heating system to work overtime to keep your rooms at a comfortable temperature. There are a variety of ways to find these air leaks.

The most prominent parts to look at outdoors are your home's exterior corners, chimneys, and roof flashings. Indoors should look at the switch plates, window and door frames, baseboards, electrical outlets, cable lines, and more. Shine a flashlight over them with another person on the other side of the wall to see if the light shines through the possible gaps. Please get rid of these issues by sealing, caulking, or replacing their weatherstripping components.

Winter brings holiday cheer and also possibly higher heating bills. During these unprecedented times, you're doing all you can to save money. Ensure you're keeping your cost as low as possible while keeping your rooms comfortable with these suggestions.