With the price of natural gas increasing at an astounding rate, you might wonder how you’ll afford to heat your home this winter. Fortunately, the team at Ambient Edge has a variety of tips and tricks you can use to save on home heating costs.
While keeping your heating units well maintained is the most effective way to lower your natural gas bill, there are a number of other steps you can take to reduce your heating expenses this winter.
Proper Insulation Combats Rising Heating Costs
Installing proper installation in your home is a smart way to lower your heating and natural gas costs this winter. Effective installation traps heat inside your home and reduces the energy you use to keep you and your family warm.
Insulation can be installed in your attic, other areas of your home, and around your water heater. Insulating your water heater tank can reduce standby heat loss by as much as 45% and save you as much as 16% in heating costs.
Investing in weatherstripping for your windows and doors is another way to seal in warm air, as it mitigates heat transfer. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to insulate your home, consider keeping your blinds or curtains closed during cold days.
Unblocking Vents Can Reduce Natural Gas Consumption
Ventilation blockages can cause your heating system to use more energy than necessary to heat your home. To ensure that you aren’t wasting energy, check your vents to ensure they are all open. If you have any pieces of furniture or other large objects obstructing vents, you’ll want to move them out of the way so air can flow freely throughout your home.
Unblocking your vents will ultimately improve the airflow in your home. It will also reduce the stress on your heating units, making it much less likely that you’ll need an expensive repair or replacement in the near future.
Lower Your Thermostat Setting To Lower Your Heating Bill
Lowering your thermostat setting by several degrees can dramatically reduce your natural gas consumption and help you save on your home heating costs. If you’re worried about being uncomfortable, try lowering your thermostat at night or when you leave for work.
According to Energy.gov, lowering your thermostat setting by 7 to 10 degrees during the day can help you lower your energy costs by as much as 10% a year. They also recommend investing in a programmable thermostat, which can help keep your home’s air temperature in check and lower your heating expenses.
Your Hot Water Heater’s Temperature May Be Too High
Many homeowners have their water heater’s temperature set too high. If your water heater is hotter than it needs to be, you could be wasting energy and paying more than necessary on your home’s natural gas bill.
To lower your monthly bill, we recommend lowering your water heater’s temperature setting by several degrees. You may want to experiment to see how low you can set your water heater while still being able to take hot showers.
Avoid Using Your Fireplace Often
While it may seem like a great way to warm your home in the winter, using your fireplace often can actually cause stress to your heating system and result in higher energy bills. That’s because the warm air that exits your chimney creates a vacuum that pulls cold air into your home.
A wood-burning fireplace can cause your home to lose as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air in under an hour. To keep warm air in and cold air out, we highly recommend limiting your fireplace usage this winter.
Wear an Extra Layer of Clothing
Throwing on an extra layer of clothing, wearing covers, and bundling up during the cold months can allow you to stay comfortable while using natural gas to heat your home. Lowering your thermostat and putting on a sweater can significantly reduce your heating costs.
We suggest turning your thermostat down a few degrees at night and adding an extra blanket or comforter to your bed. If you’re comfortable wearing an extra layer of clothing during the day, lowering your home’s indoor air temperature from 8 am to 5 pm can also help you save a considerable amount of money on your heating bill.
Keep Your Heating Unit Well Maintained to Lower Heating Costs
Keeping your heating unit well maintained is the most effective way to lower your use of natural gas and save money on your home heating expenses. Signing up for a preventive maintenance plan with your local HVAC repair company will help you keep your heating unit in great shape.
When your local HVAC repair team arrives for a maintenance visit, they’ll make minor repairs that are guaranteed to go a long way to help you lower your energy bills. The repairs your HVAC service makes will allow your heating units to run more efficiently, using less energy to keep your house comfortable and warm.
Replace Failing Heating Units to Offset Natural Gas Prices
If your heating unit is at the end of its lifespan, it might be using more energy than necessary to heat your home. If your unit is more than a decade old, fails to heat your home consistently, or makes strange noises, it might be time to invest in a replacement.
If you’re not sure whether or not your unit needs to be replaced, contact your local HVAC repair service. They can come to your home and inspect your unit to see if it would be more cost-effective to repair or replace it. If they find that your unit is in need of replacement, they’ll help you find an energy-efficient model that is guaranteed to lower your heating costs.
Ambient Edge Can Help You Save on Natural Gas and Home Heating Bills
At Ambient Edge, we’re committed to helping our customers save money on their monthly utility bills. If you’ve noticed a spike in your heating costs due to the nationwide increase in natural gas prices, our team can help you pay less.
Our NATE-certified technicians can perform preventative maintenance services that will help your heating unit run well without using too much energy. If your unit is too old to be repaired, we’ll help you find a replacement that’s certified by EnergyStar to reduce your natural gas consumption. Contact us today to take the first step towards a lower monthly heating bill.