If you are worried that your Minnesota heating bill might be getting out of control this season because of your heating needs, there are a few things that you can do to get your home better equipped to keep heat in, and keep your heating working at its peak performance.
A little planning and thinking ahead can make a world of difference when it comes to maximizing your heater’s potential.
Here are five things you can do to help cut your heating bill before the next cold snap sets in.
1. Invest in Weather Sealing Your Window and Doors
If your home always feels drafty, there is a chance that your windows and doors are letting out heat from your home faster than your heater can work to warm the interior of your home.
Having a contractor come out and professionally seal your windows and doors or recommend more energy efficient options can be a great way to upgrade your home and save energy.
Heavy curtains and door bumpers are also easy fixes in the interim and keep the cold out and the heat in.
2. Educate Your Kids
If your kids don’t have a great track record when it comes to shutting exterior doors behind them, you might need to sit them down and explain a few pointers to keep your home warmer this winter.
This might include keeping the thermostat at a certain level during the day when there’s nobody at home.
Share with kids the merits of blankets and sweaters in the winter so your home isn’t always cranked on high heat, costing your money in heating costs.
Reiterate the importance of keeping windows and doors shut, so that your home will retain heat and your heater won’t have to work overtime.
3. Make Sure to Keep up With Maintenance and Repairs
One of the best ways to keep your energy bill down this season is to book your heating system maintenance.
A heating repair professional can identify if your heater isn’t working as efficiently as it should.
They can also double check that all vents and filters are maximizing air flow efficiency throughout your home.
This will keep your home heated without cold air pockets or overuse.
4. Keep Vents Clear and Clean
One thing that you can do in between scheduled maintenance is to clean in and around heating vents in your home.
This can be as simple as a quick vacuum to clear out any dust and debris.
This will keep air flow paths clear for your heating unit and won’t waste efforts by your heater to warm your home.
Overuse, and blocked vents, can lead to heaters working overtime, which wastes energy, and lead to damage and might call for maintenance needs down the line.
5. Block off Areas of Your Home Not in Use
Another strategic way to use your heating unit efficiently is to only heat the areas of your home you are using.
If you have a guest bedroom or home office that you rarely use in winter or when it’s cold, why not close the vent and shut the door to this space?
This way your heating unit is only working hard to heat areas of the home you are in.
Be sure to check with your heating repair specialist to ensure you have the right kind of central heating system to allow this.
Conclusion
Heating your home in the winter is a basic need and you shouldn’t feel guilty every time to crank up the heat.
If you can set up your home in a way that easily keeps in warm air during colder months, you can keep your energy bill down at the same time.
The most important way to keep costs down is to keep your heating unit in good working repair and to have this looked at before the cold season is underway.
If you need more heating tips, are thinking about a programmable thermostat, or would like to schedule annual maintenance for your heater, Contact Us at (651) 294-7798 for assistance with updates and repairs.
