Even in areas that do not have a terribly cold winter like Houston, heating bills can get high. There are some ways to lower your heating bill and those can save you some money. In doing so, however, avoid doing things that will overwork your heating system. Saving a little on energy is not worth making your system not last as long because it was overworked.
Very basic things can be done, like changing your filter regularly and turning the thermostat down a little. Turning it down during the day when you are not at home is also a common-sense way to keep your BGE bill under control. These things will lower your bill and will help your heating systems last longer, which also saves you money in the long run.
Some ways to save on your BGE bill during the winter are not so obvious. Some tips you may have heard may make sense but may also be wrong.
Some tips are counter-intuitive, like shutting off vents in rooms you are not using. One would think that would save money. Central heat and air systems are designed to send air all over the house evenly. If you disrupt that system you will make the heating systems work harder.
Another idea that is counter-intuitive is cranking up your thermostat to heat a home up quicker. It makes sense, but it does not heat the home faster. It only makes the system work harder and makes it work inefficiently. Instead of lowering your BGE bill, it is raising the bill and shortening the life of heating systems.
The use of space heaters can be good or bad. Using them to heat an entire house, or several rooms instead of the heating system will end up using more energy than the heating systems would have used. Even so, using one to heat a specific area for a short time would work fine and would not hurt the system.
One way to lower your heating bill is to leave your curtains open during the day. Let the sunshine in. That won’t be enough to heat the house, but it will raise the overall temperature a few degrees. It heats up the house some and helps your system because it doesn’t have to work as hard. You save money both on your BGE bill and on your system.
These tips involve your heating system, but there could be other issues in your house that raise your BGE bill in a passive manner. Windows not sealed properly, or doors not sealed, could be letting cold air in your house. To lower your heating bill you need to make certain there are not any structural issues, or sealing issues, that are letting cold air in.
A final issue is one of prevention. It is a good idea to keep your system maintained. We mentioned changing the filter earlier and that is important. You may schedule a maintenance appointment with Farnen and Dermer to take care of any issues that could be affecting your system. Keeping your system running at its peak efficiency is the most effective way to lower your heating bill.