With fall fast approaching, it means winter is just around the corner; and winter brings with it freezing temperatures. It also means trying to figure out ways of saving a few bucks on keeping the home warm. The typical cost of heating a home, where applicable, is approximately $2,200. When put that way, it’s a good idea to figure out how to cut that cost.
NY NJ A/C Connection have prepared a few tips to help warm your home and save on energy bills.
– Programmable Thermostat. Installing a programmable thermostat will assist in keeping the bill low and heating efficiency high. Many times the manual thermostat gets forgotten when everyone’s leaving the home for the day or ready to retire for the evening. Programming your thermostat will nail down the temperatures when away for the day, returning home, sleeping and also for vacationing.
Recommendation times and temperatures:
From 6:00AM – 9:00AM = 68 Degrees
9:00AM – 5:30PM = 60 Degrees
5:30PM – 11:00PM = 68 Degrees
11:00PM – 6:00AM = 60 Degrees
** If you’re gone on vacation for more than 2 days, keep it consistently at 55 degrees.
If you prefer slightly warmer temperature settings, adjust accordingly. Low temperatures while you sleep has been proven to contribute to a better night’s sleep, and increase metabolism!
– Allow sunlight to aide in warming your home. Even on cold days, the sun is still warm. Harness that warmth. Before you leave for the day, open the curtains and allow the sun to do what it does best. Only open the curtains up where the sun’s rays break through.
– Contain the heat through the night. After the sun has gone down, capture the heat by closing the drapes. In the naturally colder geographical areas, consider investing in insulated curtains for winters. They are designed to keep warmth in and cold air out. If you don’t mind the extra evening job, putting up some old curtains or blankets on the outside of your windows will also ward off the cooler temperatures.
– Adjust the ceiling fans. Most ceiling fans have an additional switch at the top. A setting for summer to circulate the cool air and a winter setting. On the winter setting, the fan rotates in the opposite direction to push the warm air back down, as heat will rise.
– Ensure vents are exposed. Often times, people unknowingly place furniture in front of vents. Just make a quick sweep of your home, if any vents are blocked, move the furniture around, even if it’s just for the winter months. This will maximize the heating capacity in every room.
– Inspect your home for any cracks or leaks. Make sure there are no leaks around doors and windows. If there are, install weather-stripping. Ensure any ventilation running outside is properly sealed. Unfinished attics should be well insulated.
– Close the door. Keep bedroom doors closed and any room you spend a lot of your time in. Keeping the doors closed will trap the heat in.
– Space heaters are a good asset. Space heaters are a great way to keep a space warm, but they can be a safety hazard. If not properly monitored they may ignite high flammable materials. Space heaters can come equipped with timers that can be shut off anywhere from 1-4 hours, there are also some that feature an automatic turn-off switch in the event they get knocked over.
Professional Heating Contractor Offering Furnace & Boiler Installation, Replacement, Inspection, Adjustment, Repair & Preventative Maintenance in Manhattan New York
These are just a few examples of contributing to a warmer home. Ultimately wearing hoodies or sweats can assist in keeping the people warm in addition. NY NJ A/C Connections can inspect your heating systems to make certain they are running efficiently and smoothly.
