During Minnesota’s frigid winters, heating costs add up quickly unless you take steps to control them. Reducing your high heating costs doesn’t have to be complicated, though. These five basic steps will help you warm your home without burning up your budget.
Change your filter regularly
Change your HVAC air filter at least once every three months. A dirty filter interferes with airflow and makes your system expend more energy to circulate warm air. A clean filter also prevents the buildup of dirt and debris that could lead to maintenance problems. During the high-use heating season, you may need to change the filter as often as monthly.
Install a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat lets you schedule your system to heat less or turn off when you’re away and warm up again shortly before you get home. You’ll come back to a warm, comfortable home without having to leave the heat on all day. Programmable thermostats are also more accurate than manual ones, making it less likely you’ll waste energy by accidentally overheating your home.
Seal you ducts
When your HVAC ducts leak, less warm air reaches your living spaces from your furnace or heat pump. That forces you to turn up the heat and waste energy just to stay comfortable. This alone can leave you with unacceptably high heating costs. By sealing and insulating your ducts, you could increase your system’s efficiency by up to 20 percent.
Air seal your home
Chances are good you’re losing warm air through small gaps around your home’s basement, attic, windows, doors, walls, utility entry points, and appliance vents. Air sealing your home blocks these energy-wasting air leaks, potentially saving up to 10 percent on your energy costs.
Schedule annual maintenance
During an annual HVAC tuneup, a technician can test your thermostat for accuracy, inspect for loose electrical connections and parts that need lubrication, and check your air ducts for dirt and blockages. This keeps your system efficient, heads off maintenance problems, and reduces risk of fire.
For more practical tips on controlling high heating costs and keeping your home comfortable, contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. Since 1974, we’ve been providing the Minneapolis-St. Paul area with reliable, affordable HVAC service.
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 lowering heat costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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