Heading into this winter season a lot of families are reasonably worried. It's a demanding economy and a lot of individuals are apprehensive about their employment and keeping up with rising costs. But there are many cheap, or free, steps you can take to reduce utility bills. Here are some of the easy, yet efficient, changes you can begin making now.
1. Ensure your furnace is prepared for the winter. Have a capable HVAC expert test and clean your unit. When the heating season begins make sure to change your filters monthly. If the filter is dirty it will restrict airflow which will use more energy since it has to work harder.
2. Put in a programmable thermostat. You can set it to automatically adjust the temperature at specific times of the day and specific days of the week. That way the temperature in your home will automatically go down during the day when nobody is home, or overnight. You can also set it to raise the temperature shortly before you get up in the morning.
3. Look after your fireplace. Make sure the chimney is cleaned and in good repair. If you use your fireplace more than once a week you should have it professionally cleaned yearly. What's more add a cap or screen at the top of your chimney to keep birds from building nests.
4. Be sure to caulk around any windows and doors. The more heat loss you can stop the less your furnace will have to run, and that will save you money all season long. Using window kits is one more way to keep heat loss from older windows.
5. By using wind power and renewable energy, (think home windmill) along with the above winterizing tips will more than put you in front of the game; on lowering your long term utility bills.
This is a great time to make some straightforward changes that can make it easier for you lower utility bills this winter. Take a couple of minutes at the moment to save hundreds not only this winter but throughout the year and for years to come.
1. Ensure your furnace is prepared for the winter. Have a capable HVAC expert test and clean your unit. When the heating season begins make sure to change your filters monthly. If the filter is dirty it will restrict airflow which will use more energy since it has to work harder.
2. Put in a programmable thermostat. You can set it to automatically adjust the temperature at specific times of the day and specific days of the week. That way the temperature in your home will automatically go down during the day when nobody is home, or overnight. You can also set it to raise the temperature shortly before you get up in the morning.
3. Look after your fireplace. Make sure the chimney is cleaned and in good repair. If you use your fireplace more than once a week you should have it professionally cleaned yearly. What's more add a cap or screen at the top of your chimney to keep birds from building nests.
4. Be sure to caulk around any windows and doors. The more heat loss you can stop the less your furnace will have to run, and that will save you money all season long. Using window kits is one more way to keep heat loss from older windows.
5. By using wind power and renewable energy, (think home windmill) along with the above winterizing tips will more than put you in front of the game; on lowering your long term utility bills.
This is a great time to make some straightforward changes that can make it easier for you lower utility bills this winter. Take a couple of minutes at the moment to save hundreds not only this winter but throughout the year and for years to come.
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