Fall's here, and so is the struggle to control your heating bill. Here's how you can try.
When fall arrives, so does the need to dial up the heat in much of the United States. That means shelling out money to keep your home warm.
Heating accounts for about 40% of the typical household energy bill, according to the Department of Energy.
But there are some simple ways to get those costs down without wearing excessive layers as you sit on the sofa shivering while watching your favorite TV show.
Everyone wants a warm, cozy home in the winter, but you shouldn’t have to suffer! You don’t have to stay cold just to save on your heating bill.
Check and replace your furnace air filter often
The easiest thing that you can do is just make sure that your filter is clean. If it's dirty, it can cause all sorts of problems, increase costs and cause safety problems ultimately.
Even a slightly plugged filter could mean losing money by hampering air and heat distribution.
If your filter is 50% plugged, the air can't travel to the different bedrooms and the different areas around the house nearly as well. So your comfort level might drop, just by having a partially-plugged filter.
Run the fan system 24/7
Often, people overheat a home because they feel cold in one specific location. Constantly running the fan on the furnace redistributes heat throughout the house.
If you do that, maybe you can turn your thermostat up less than you would have because you feel warmer in the areas that you want to feel warmer.
Shut off some areas
Close the vents in areas of the house you're not using. But don't shut off too much of your house because you can overheat your furnace.
Close the blinds
One of the quickest and easiest ways that you can save money on your heating system is just by closing your blinds.
But make sure to open blinds and drapes to let in natural sunlight when the sun is shining, which will heat the home naturally.
Consider insulation
Adding attic insulation will help save money on utilities, but you need to factor in how cold the area is that you're in and how long you're going to live at the home to make sure that it's worth it.
Check for air leaks
Seal openings around windows and doors that let in cold air with caulking and weather stripping.
Get a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat allows users to preset times for the furnace to turn on and off throughout the day.
