What Can I Do to Lower My Energy Bills in West Jefferson?
If you’re wanting to save money, a great place to start is right inside your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling your home typically accounts for about 48% of your utility bill. Some of the best ways to start saving money don’t necessitate a huge investment of money or time. If you haven’t set up your furnace service for the year, that’s an ideal place to start. We also have some additional tips that can help keep your expenses as low as possible.
Schedule an Energy Audit
If you get a hold of your local utility provider, they will come do an energy audit of your home. These services are usually provided free-of-charge and include everything that is present on your utility bill, from your heating and cooling system to your kitchen and laundry appliances. Many utility companies also have rebates for insulation and other things that can increase your home’s efficiency.
Smartly Program Your Programmable Thermostat
Thermostats have come a long way, and the technology behind them only continues to evolve. For example, the iComfort S30 is able to use the GPS In your smartphone to figure out when you’re leaving and makes the proper adjustment to help you save money and improve efficiency while you’re gone. When you return home, everything returns to normal and you don’t have to worry about a thing. It’s also able to adjust to your routine, so when baseball and football seasons kick off, your thermostat can make the right adjustment.
The Department of Energy notes that a well programmed thermostat may
lower your heating costs by up to 35% and your cooling costs by up to 25%. Set your thermostat as low as you can, while remaining comfortable in the winter and as high as comfortable in the summer. There are a number of different models to decide from so pick the one that best adapts to your schedule and needs.
If your schedule changes a lot, a 7-day model is more than likely your best choice. They give you the flexibility to set different programs for each day. These typically have four possible temperature stages per day.
There are also 5+2 and 5-1-1 models. These models are perfect if you maintain the same schedule on weekdays and another for weekends.
Selecting and Maintaining Your System
If you think you’re almost to the point where your system should be replaced, it’s a good idea to view all of your options so you can make an informed decision when the time necessitates. Look at the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of air conditioners and the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of the furnaces. The higher the ratings, the greater the savings. As always, our furnace and A/C pros will help you make a well-informed decision that meets you and your needs.
If you’re not there yet, a simple furnace service and routine maintenance can keep your system running smoothly and efficiently. If you haven’t arranged your furnace service for the year or are having any sort of questions about your system or choices, give us a call at 614-879-9091.