Cooler weather usually means an increase in energy consumption and higher energy bills to keep your home warm. There are, however, several ways to keep energy expenses low and efficiency high this season. Here are a few tips that can help.
- Seal air leaks: When warm air leaks out of your home, you’ve not only wasted conditioned air you’ve already paid for, you have to pay again to heat more air to make up for the loss. Check for leaks around the most likely locations, including around door and window frames, at areas where pipes or wires come through the wall and spots where the house frame contacts the foundation and attic floor. Most leaks can be sealed with caulk.
- Call for HVAC maintenance: Seasonal maintenance on your heating system will ensure it works properly and at its highest level of efficiency during the winter. Call your HVAC professional for a preventive maintenance appointment in the fall before he or she gets too busy with winter emergencies.
- Turn down the heat: Reducing the temperature settings at your thermostat to 68 degrees will save significant amounts of money and energy. Each degree you can lower the temperature will save an additional percentage of energy usage.
- Wear warmer clothes and use extra blankets: When at home, wear warmer clothes that will help make up for any reductions in heating. Put additional blankets on your bed to keep warm at night, especially if you use a programmable thermostat to substantially lower heating overnight.
- Use a programmable thermostat: Install a programmable thermostat to give yourself greater control over your heating system. For example, they can be programmed to reduce heating at night and then automatically increase heating in the morning to have the house warm when you and your family get up for the day.
Customers in Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle can count on Amarillo Air Conditioning for professional HVAC services, including maintenance and repair. Contact us today for more information on boosting energy efficiency in your home during the fall and winter months.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Amarillo, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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