Save on Heating in 2016
Most people see a spike in their energy bills during the winter season. This is largely unavoidable due to the fact that space heating is the largest energy expense in the average U.S. home. Naturally, when it gets cold outside, more energy is required to keep the home’s interior warm. Luckily, there are several ways to cut back on your winter energy bills this year.
Use Supplemental Heating
This is probably the most impactful of the ways to save on your heating bill. The concept of supplemental heating is pretty simple. Instead of turning up your thermostat when you get cold, simply flip on a heater in the room you’re using. Since the supplemental heater isn’t tasked with providing heat for the entire home like your central heater would, it uses much less energy.
When done correctly, supplemental heating could save you 20–40% on your heating bill.
Supplemental heaters come in all shapes and sizes and almost any heater can be used for supplemental heat. But, the best way to maximize savings is to use an energy efficient propane heater. Here are a few examples of propane-fueled supplemental heaters:
To learn more about gas hearth products, download our free guide!
Lower Your Thermostat
Although supplemental heating will provide a much more comfortable means to lower energy bills, simply turning down your central thermostat can make a big difference. It is said that for every degree you lower your thermostat, you’ll save between 1-3% on your heating bill. To stay comfortable, wear winter clothing like sweaters and socks in the house.
It’s also smart to lower your thermostat intentionally before bed. Studies show that setting your thermostat below 65˚ at night can save you 5-20% on your heating bill. You can offset the colder temperatures by adding more blankets and wearing warmer clothes to bed.
Go Tankless
Traditional water heaters heat continuously. Water in these tanks is constantly being heated even when you aren’t using the hot water. This causes most of the energy used to be wasted.
In comparison, tankless water heaters heat on demand, which conserves energy and saves money. Since tankless water heaters aren’t wasting energy by constantly heating standby water, homeowners can expect to see measurable and significant savings on their energy bill by switching from a tank system. In addition, tankless systems typically last twice as long as traditional storage tanks!
These benefits almost always make the overall cost of owning of a tankless water heater less than other water heating options.
Consider Propane Heating
Electric heat pumps work by capturing heat from outside the home and moving it indoors. But when temperatures get below freezing, there just isn’t enough heat energy to be transferred by most electric heaters. Even worse, if the temperatures drop into the single digits, many people find that they can’t keep their home above 62 degrees.
Some systems use a back up electrical heater but this is the most expensive and least efficient way to generate heat. A more efficient and comfortable solution is to utilize a hybrid heating system which uses a high-efficiency propane furnace in instances of frigid temperatures. Hybrid heating, or “dual-fuel heating,” provides a much-needed, energy efficient way to keep your home warm during the coldest winter weather.
Check out PropaneNorthCarolina.com for more money-saving propane heating solutions.
Winterize Your Home
Each instance of heat escaping your home causes your heating system to work harder. The more efficiently your home is able to maintain the heat and temperature generated by your heater, the less money you’ll have to spend to replace the heat lost to a leaking house. There are several things you can do around the house to conserve energy and money. Try some of these to boost your savings:
- Close unused air vents to prevent drafts.
- Close doors to unused rooms to conserve heat.
- Open blinds and curtains during the day to gain natural heat from the sun. Close them at night to keep the heat inside and away from windows.
- Run ceiling fans on low in reverse (clockwise) to bring the rising warm air back down.
- After baking/cooking and turning your oven off, leave the oven door open to heat the kitchen.
- Caulk or weatherstrip around windows and doors to keep warm air from escaping.
- Consider a programmable thermostat that efficiently and automatically adjusts temperature settings throughout the day.
By properly winterizing your home and taking a few steps to conserve heat, you can save considerable money on your energy bill during winter.
Service Your Furnace
Just like a vehicle needs regular maintenance to stay on the road, a home’s furnace needs occasional maintenance in order to heat efficiently. It’s best to have a professional give your heating system and venting a tune-up each year to ensure it’s operating as cleanly and efficiently as possible.
Is your home prepared for the cold winter season? Are you ready to make this the most energy-efficient winter season yet? We can help! Contact us for a free consultation and estimate!
