Energy Saving Tips for Winter
As bad as the sweltering summer feels, the winter cold is more dangerous. It’s important to keep your family warm, but the heating needs of a Missouri winter also make it difficult to keep energy bills low.
The good news is that you can pile on the wool socks and ugly sweaters, then spend a weekend making your home more energy-efficient all winter long.
Stop Leaks to Prevent Energy Loss
Preventing drafts can save 20% or more on your heating bill, according to Energy.gov. For around $30, you can buy an infrared thermal heat detector to spot leaky areas in your attic, around windows and doors, and throughout the home. You can also light a candle or incense stick and walk around seeing where it gets blown out. Then, you can:
- Seal windows and add shrink film to keep heat inside
- Add weatherstrips to outside doors or adjust the threshold (many have screws you can turn to raise them)
- Add insulation around wall outlets, recessed lights, and places where utility lines enter the home
- Close the chimney damper when you’re not using it, or seal it off if it’s never used
Make Your Furnace More Efficient
The best ways to improve a furnace’s energy efficiency are to get your annual furnace maintenance and to clean or replace the filter regularly. Many furnaces lose up to 10% efficiency each year if you skip the tune-up by an HVAC pro.
If you change the filter monthly and it still looks dirty, it’s probably worth spending a little more to get a reusable air filter that you can clean every couple of weeks.
Use Less Home Heating
You can give your furnace a break without feeling chilly. Anything you do that lets you turn down the temperature helps; estimates range from 1% per degree to 3% for each degree below 70.
- Install a programmable thermostat or be diligent about turning the temperature down when you leave each day
- Turn down the furnace when cooking and baking—you’ll be toastier, especially if family is congregating in the kitchen
- Use high-efficiency ceramic heaters in your favorite living spaces
- Open curtains to windows that face the daytime sun, but use heavy curtains otherwise
- And of course, bundle up with blankets, sweatshirts, knit hats, and plenty of hot tea or cocoa!
Furnace Inspections & Maintenance in Fenton & St. Louis
A comprehensive furnace maintenance session can work wonders for your comfort and energy bills. If you haven’t yet this year, contact Metro Heating & Cooling to schedule a furnace tune-up in Fenton, MO or elsewhere in St. Louis County.
