Looking to lessen the blow to your wallet from your heating bill? Here are 4 simple ways you can do just that…

Did you know that your heating bill takes up 29% of your entire energy bill? It’s no wonder your energy bill skyrockets during winter!

But you can easily keep your hard-earned money while maintaining the same level of comfort during the winter.

Here are our simple but effective tips that will help reduce your heating costs (and your cooling costs as well).

1) Check your furnace air filter regularly.

Just like your car, your furnace has an air filter to trap dust and other particles. A dirty air filter slows down air flow. And so your furnace has to work harder to heat your home properly, which uses more energy.

You should check your furnace filter at least once a month–especially during periods of heavy furnace and AC use during winter and summer. Change your filter at least every three months.

As an extra bonus, changing your furnace filter will prevent dirt from getting into your furnace. Dirt and dust in your furnace can lead to expensive maintenance and early product failure.

2) Seal your air ducts

Leaky air ducts present two problems:

• Heated and cooled air escapes, which means the air isn’t properly transported around your house, leading to increased energy use. According to APS & SRP, “faulty ductwork accounts for more than 25 percent of the heating loss in an average Arizona home. That means dollars out of your pocket.”
• Dust, dirt and other contaminants can get into your air ducts and circulate back into your HVAC system, possibly causing damage.

Get your air ducts sealed by a professional duct sealing company for the best results. A professional duct sealing will improve both your energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

3) Install a programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats help you save money by allowing you to set your furnace and air conditioner to run at specific times and temperatures.

But you need to use it properly. Check out this article on Energy.gov on how to properly use a programmable thermostat.

4) Get a furnace tune-up

A variety of problems could happen with your furnace to decrease its energy efficiency.

That’s why you should get it checked at least once a year to make sure it’s tuned to use energy efficiently. Doing so will save you much more than you paid for the actual furnace tune-up.

These simple but effective tips will help you reduce your heating bills significantly this winter.

• air filter
• energy efficient
• furnace
• heating repair