Energy bills are an unavoidable cost for most people. Depending on the time of year and the state you live in, climate conditions can be damaging to your health. The summer temperatures in some parts of Canada can quickly become unbearable without air conditioning. Similarly, southern Canada has experienced some dramatic plunges in temperature in recent years.
However, staying comfortable doesn’t have to be a drain on your family finances. With these simple tips, you can keep your heating bills down and your bank balance up.
Make Sure You Understand Your Heating System
Understanding how your heating system works is the first step to making sure that you are using it in the most efficient way possible. If you haven’t looked at your system before, it’s a good idea to find a model number and perform a quick internet search. You will often be able to find advice from other owners of the same system or from the manufacturer themselves as to how you can get the most out of it.
If you use a timer to automatically adjust your heating throughout the day, it is a good idea to review your settings every so often; your heating needs will change with the seasons.
Turn Your Thermostat Down
Try reducing your thermostat by one degree every day until you find the minimum comfortable temperature. If you make too sudden a change, you will definitely feel the effects. However, if you adjust slowly, you will find that you barely notice the change. Keeping your thermostat as low as possible will mean you aren’t paying for more heating than you need.
Don’t Dry Clothes on Your Radiators
We’ve all had those mornings when we suddenly realize that we’re all out of clean clothes. You can throw a load of laundry in and have clean clothes in an hour or so, but they will be soaking wet and very uncomfortable to wear. It might be tempting to drape some of them over the radiator to dry them out quicker, but this will significantly reduce the effectiveness of your heating. This, in turn, means that your system has to work harder and will cost you more.
Replace Your Furnace Filters Regularly
Most of us rarely think about furnace filters until we run into an issue with our furnaces. Replacing the filters on your furnace regularly is important if you want it to keep operating at maximum efficiency. If you’re not sure what type of furnace you have, or what filters you need for it, check out this guide to furnace filter types from Action Furnace.
Cheap, disposable filters will effectively filter out the largest particles, but are the lowest quality filters available. If you want to save money, you should spend more now on a permanent reusable filter that can be washed and used pretty much indefinitely.
Keeping your heating bills down isn’t as difficult as you might think. Familiarize yourself with your heating system to ensure that you are using it as efficiently as possible, and make sure that you aren’t obstructing heat outlets in your home.