Looking to save money on your heating bills this winter? It’s not always easy to find the right balance between staying warm and comfortable 
while also keeping your monthly payments in check, but we have some tips to help you stay on track this holiday season.
And remember – if you need any assistance with your heating-related needs, we’re the team to call! We’re NATE-certified, have extensive hands-on experience in the field, and you won’t find customer service like ours anywhere else. Reach out now to set up an appointment.
Find Your Set Point
What’s a set point? It’s the temperature you typically keep your thermostat at. In the summertime, it’s recommended to keep this at around 74 degrees in terms of saving money, but in the winter, it’s suggested to keep it around 68-70 degrees. Now, for many this seems a bit too low, so if you find yourself cranking it up a bit, here are some extra tips for keeping that energy bill in check.
Set a schedule for changing it throughout the day. If you’re one that likes to keep it lower in the day, then higher at night, try to consistently adjust it. (If you have a programmable thermostat, this should be pretty easy!)
Also, when adjusting temperatures, try not to vary it more than 3 degrees at a time. This reduces your system’s recovery time, so that it’s not forced to work quite so hard (thus upping that monthly bill and increasing wear and tear).
Close Your Chimney Damper
Have a fireplace? Make sure your damper is closed! This is one of the easiest ways to save money throughout the winter, and it’s one thing many homeowners tend to forget about. Because the damper is hidden in your chimney, it falls into that “out of sight, out of mind” category, so it’s easy to forget to shut it after your fire is done.
Be sure to add this to your mental checklist when you start turning up the heat for the year!
Keep Your Ductwork Insulated
If your ductwork snakes through areas that are exposed to frigid winter temperatures (like in the crawlspace or attic), make sure it is well-insulated. This ensures your vents are capable of heating your home to the best of their capability!
Why is this such a big deal? Well, if that cold outdoor air is given easy access to the vents, they’ll be too cold to keep your inside air warm as it passes through. That means you’ll be looking at a lot of heat loss! Just think of it as blowing hot air over an ice cube… The warmer these ducts can stay, the better off you will be. Our ductwork services are excellent. Contact us about them today.
Use Your Fans
In the summer, your ceiling fans should be moving counterclockwise to get that optimal breeze necessary for keeping you and your household nice and cool. Once temperatures drop and your heat is on, though, you should switch their direction, so the warm air that rises will be sent back down to circulate through your home.
If you’re not sure how to do this, just take a closer look at your fan. You’ll likely see a little switch. Just flip it, and you’re good to go! Your heating system won’t be left working as hard, and you’ll be getting that warm air you’re hoping for.
And speaking of fans, if you have a newer system, be sure to program it to regularly turn your thermostat fans on and off. This will ensure air is still circulating everywhere (even in rooms that are less occupied), only without having your fan constantly going and wasting energy.
Don’t Block Your Vents
If your vents are covered or blocked, all of your rooms won’t have the airflow they require to stay comfortable and cozy. On top of that, air flow and circulation will be hindered, which then forces your system to work harder as it tries to reach all the areas of your home.
Remember – hot air is naturally attracted to cold spaces. This means your heater won’t stop until all rooms are adequately heated. Ensure your vents can follow the most efficient path possible by clearing that area around your vents. It’ll be worth it!
Dress Warmer
This may seem obvious, but we always like to give a friendly reminder to bundle up! Putting on a pair of socks and a cozy sweatshirt can make a drastic difference in your body temperature. Avoid cranking the heat and facing a big bill by cozying up with some warm clothes, a thick blanket, and a good book or movie instead of touching that thermostat!
Ask Us For Help!
Are you doing everything right, but still find yourself with higher-than-normal energy bills? Let us help! You could have a leak somewhere in your system, or maybe some cleaning or repair work is in order. No matter the issue, we are trained to find the problem and address it, so you can go into this new season with the peace of mind you deserve.
Also, keep in mind that how well your home heats depends a lot on the type of system you have. For example, if you have gas or furnace set-up, 66 degrees will feel more like 68 – 70 degrees, and the heat will be more instantaneous. Yet, with a heat pump 67 degrees might feel more like 65. This is because you’re waiting on that coil to heat up, so the initial air blowing in is cooler than normal.
In these cases, Airbusters can set it up so the fan delays a few minutes before blowing air into your home. This means you won’t have cold air entering before it’s sufficiently heated up.
Contact us today at Airbusters Heating & Cooling to request an appointment, or to ask us any questions regarding the following services: HVAC services, HVAC installation, service, and repair, heating system service & repair, HVAC system design & installation, ductwork design, installation, and repair, troubleshooting tasks, airflow diagnostics, HVAC system inspections, free second opinions on HVAC unit replacement quotes, Indoor Air Quality work, & we also offer HVAC service plans. We have our eyes on water heaters, water heater service, repair, & installation, & tankless water heater installation.
Wonder if we frequent your neck of the woods? Check out our service area to see which counties we service. Some of the towns and cities in Middle TN that we visit are listed here: Franklin, TN, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Brentwood, TN, Nashville, TN, East Nashville, Smyrna, TN, Murfreesboro, TN, and Hendersonville, TN.
To connect further with us, take a look at our social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Linkedin, & YouTube). When you have the chance, please leave us a great review online at Google. We greatly appreciate it.
Ready to get this process started? We’re ready to speak with you soon. Reach out now & give us a call at 615-258-5530.