Fall is here and the air is getting cooler, so we know another harsh Minnesota winter is on its way. Many homeowners begin to get concerned about their energy costs as the weather worsens, and utility bills begin to rise. Luckily, there are many ways to avoid wasting energy and save money. Here are a few of the easiest ways to get started:
- Schedule a check-up for your heating system. Many homeowners forget about yearly furnace maintenance, but these
appointments are very important. Having an HVAC professional tune up your heating system each fall can ensure that your furnace is operating efficiently and safely, and can help with catching minor problems early, before they become big problems on the coldest day of winter. - Seal your house. Though you may have an efficient furnace, it won’t do much good if your home is drafty and poorly insulated, wasting energy. Find and seal air leaks near your windows and doors, and in other parts of your home’s outer envelope. Also, add insulation to your attic and walls where they’re accessible. If your windows are particularly old, you might consider sealing them even more with plastic sheeting, available at your local hardware store.
- Adjust your water heater. Most homes have water heaters that are set to heat the water to a temperature that’s both wasteful and dangerous. Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees F to save money without sacrificing any comfort.
- Upgrade your thermostat. Newer models of thermostats far outshine their predecessors, and can cut down on wasting energy. Programmable thermostats allow you to adjust the thermostat once for the initial programming, to fit your schedule, and then simply forget about it for the rest of the season. No matter what your schedule is, the thermostat will do all the work for you and help to save energy.
- Change your air filter. Your HVAC system’s air filter should be changed at least every three months to avoid the filter becoming clogged and overworking your furnace and A/C. Inspect it monthly, and change it when it looks dirty.
Contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning Co. today for more expert advice on avoiding energy waste in your Twin Cities area home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy savings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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