Our wintertime temperatures do not usually get as cold as our neighbors in the Midwest or the Northeast, with last year’s winter being a huge exception!
That said, it may typically seem pretty silly to worry about heating efficiency too much. When you don’t use yours that much, why should you care about how efficiently it operates? Well, because how efficiently it operates informs how much you spend on your monthly energy bills, and every homeowner wants to save money where they can, right?
That said, there are a number of things you can do to boost your heating efficiency during a standard winter (again, with recent events being a large exception to this rule). Read on to learn more!
Lower Your Thermostat
During the winter, most people are comfortable with indoor temperatures around 66-68°, yet many homeowners set their furnace thermostat to 72° or higher, thinking it will keep their home warmer, for longer. This isn’t necessarily true, and in fact, you may find you’re too warm with your thermostat set this high.
When you set it a little bit lower, the furnace doesn’t have to run as long, and as a result it consumes less energy. So, you end up paying less!
Upgrade Your Thermostat
Thermostat settings, as we mentioned above, certainly make a huge difference in heating efficiency. But so too does the type of thermostat you have. Not many homes still have the manual slider thermostat, but if you do, it’s absolutely time for an upgrade. These outdated thermostats could be off by a few degrees, meaning your heater can be running longer than it actually needs to be in order to keep you warm enough in your home.
Even upgrading to a basic digital thermostat will do you good. Or you can take it even further by upgrading to a Wi-Fi or Smart thermostat. These thermostats can be operated literally from anywhere you have internet access, and can learn from your heating and cooling preferences to adjust accordingly on their own.
Install Weatherstripping to Keep Drafts Out
The heat from your furnace can escape out through cracks in your windows or doors throughout the home. What does this mean? Well, you’re paying for energy that you’re losing right out the front door. Some simple caulking can help you with your windows, while weatherstrips can be placed at the bottom and sides of doors to keep drafts out.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
This may seem like a strange tip for us to share in the wintertime, but hear us out! Your ceiling fans are great at redistributing air. There is a switch near the center of your fan that reverses the direction of the fan blades. When you do this, it pulls hot air from your heater down from the ceiling, distributing it evenly throughout your living space.
As a result, you will feel warmer and can adjust your thermostat accordingly, therefore using your heater much more efficiently.
For professional service for your Slaton, TX furnace, contact JD’s Prompt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning today!