5 Steps to Saving Money on Your Heating Bill This Winter

If you’re trying to find ways to save money this winter, why not start with your heating bill. Don’t worry; we won’t suggest setting your thermostat to 60 degrees. There are easier and more practical ways to lower your home’s energy consumption this heating season. To get you started, we’ve listed 5 money-saving tips below.

1. Take a walk around your home and make sure none of your vents are blocked by furniture. When decorating your home it’s easy to situate a couch or armchair over a vent without considering how the obstructed air flow will affect your energy bill. Unfortunately, the blockage makes it difficult for the air leaving the vent to circulate properly, which translates to money wasted. Before heating your house, simply rearrange your furniture to ensure all your vents are clear of obstructions.
2. Save money by remembering to close the damper on your fireplace. Forgetting to do so will lead to heated air escaping through your chimney.
3. A yearly furnace check-up is key to increasing your system’s efficiency and reducing your energy bill. A maintenance plan not only ensures your heating system is functioning effectively, but it also lessens your furnace’s need for costly repairs.
4. If you’re serious about minimizing energy waste and lowering your heating bill, we suggest scheduling an energy audit for your house. An audit will give you a better understanding of where your home’s weaknesses are, and it will provide you with a strategy to improve the efficiency level of your house.
5. After your furnace reaches a certain age, its efficiency begins to decline. If your unit is 12 to 15 years old, you’re likely to see a spike in your energy bill, even when your heating choices remain the same each year. Older furnaces are also prone to frequent malfunctions, which can cause a decline in their efficiency. Replacing your furnace with a new one can save you a great deal of money in the years to come.

If minimizing your heating bill this winter is at the top of your to-do-list, please contact M&M Mechanical, Inc. to schedule heating repair in Lorton VA or an energy audit.