How to Lower Your Heating Bill This Winter

Many people dread winter’s inevitable approach, not because of the long nights and biting weather, but because of the increase in their utility bills from warming their homes. When you are barely making ends meet, an increase in your account becomes something that keeps you awake at night.

While it is likely that your bill will increase for the next few months as you use your heating system, here are some things you should be doing to keep the variance to a minimum:

Heating system maintenance

You expect a lot from your heating system, and it cannot deliver on your expectations if you do not maintain it. Think of this exercise as spending money to save money. An annual heating system inspection may require a cash outlay, but it can prevent you from spending far more in the future.

During this inspection, expert technicians identify any parts of your heating system that need replacement or repair to keep it efficient and effective. If you do not maintain a heating system, it might break and suffer more damage than it would have if you had dealt with the issue proactively.

If you can afford it, replace parts of your heating system with more energy-efficient components like Best Electric Radiator’s wide range of aesthetically pleasing radiators, which do not waste energy.

Use alternate energy sources

Sunlight is an effective source of energy and heat. Open your curtains and let the sun stream into your house. Even if it is bitterly cold outside, you can warm your home provided the sun is shining. Close the curtains when the sun leaves the room or it starts getting dark to trap the sun’s heat indoors.

Another way of harnessing the sun’s power in San Francisco is by installing solar panels. Solar panels might be used to keep a water heater system running instead of electricity. However, you will still have hot water on cloudy days, as the system switches to conventional power after depleting solar sources. Changing to solar bears a hefty initial cash outlay, but the savings are remarkable.

Insulation inspection

Insulation measures are designed to trap heat within the house, preventing it from escaping through the roof. Having the space between your top ceiling and roof, including your attic, insulated will reduce how much power you use to generate heat in the home, thereby cutting energy costs. You would be well-advised to check your insulation each autumn for signs of damage. Repairs will cost less than having to replace it entirely.

Other insulation measures to take include ensuring that doors and windows seal tightly to prevent cold draughts from entering your home and warm air from leaving. This means your heating system will not need to work as hard as it was before.

Programmable thermostat

Turning your thermostat down during times when no one is at home or overnight saves energy. However, many people forget to do it because they are busy, distracted, or in a hurry. A programmable thermostat solves this problem as it adjusts temperatures according to your specifications.

Hardwired programmable thermostats are wired to your heating unit. The latest models are wireless and far easier and more convenient to install and use. Once it is fitted, you can program preferred temperatures by the hour and weekday with digital precision to reduce usage and save on your heating bill.

Streamline airflow

As winter approaches, take a careful look at how you have your furniture arranged in each room. You will often find that heating vents in some rooms are obstructed by furniture. This renders your heating system less effective. Rearrange furniture so that it does not prevent warm air from entering and circulating through a room. Close doors to unused rooms to reduce the area of your home you are attempting to heat.

If you have ceiling fans, use them during the winter months while running your heating system. It might sound counterintuitive to use a fan in winter, but a ceiling fan is different. Yours should have a winter setting. When you switch to it, the fan blades rotate in the opposite direction, pushing warm air down to prevent it from rising. A ceiling fan does not have a thermostat, meaning that it uses less electricity than any heating system.