Winters in Lusby, MD are cold, especially at night, so it only makes sense to stay inside and stay warm. Cold weather can mean higher utility bills, but there are ways to lower your energy use. Below are seven common heating issues to avoid if you want to save energy on heating your home this winter in Lusby, MD.
1. Old, Inefficient Furnace
That old furnace of yours may eventually give out on you after needing repairs. One of the most frustrating things you have to deal with regarding an old furnace is how inefficient it is. Sometimes an old furnace doesn’t heat your whole home, while other times it does, but it uses far more energy than it should in the process.
2. Forgetting HVAC Maintenance
Even if your heating system acts as though there’s nothing wrong, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an issue you should be aware of. Putting off HVAC maintenance only leads to expensive repairs in the future. With regularly scheduled heating maintenance in early autumn, you won’t need to wait until winter to call for maintenance and risk your heating system leaving you in the cold.
3. Heating the Whole House
Another issue you may have is that your heater is heating your entire home. This may not sound like a bad thing, as that’s what a heater for the home should do, but it’s also heating rooms you’re not using, such as the guest bedroom or the room you use for storage. One solution to this problem is to use an HVAC zoning system where you can redirect heated air away from specific areas.
4. Ignoring Your Air Filter
The air filter on your HVAC system improves the indoor air quality of your home and keeps your house cleaner, but dirty air filters shorten the lifespan of your heater and reduce efficiency. Clogged air filters reduce airflow, which means your heating unit needs to use more energy to provide the same amount of heat and circulate it around your home. To properly maintain your air filter, it’s best to change or clean your air filter every two to three months.
5. Insufficient Insulation
Heat likes to escape your home, searching for small cracks or gaps in your windows, doors and attic vents to return outside. When you turn on your heating system, you intend to heat your home, not the outdoors. Not having enough insulation is one of the most costly heating issues your home could face.
Proper home insulation reduces the amount of heat that escapes through walls, ducts, your attic or your roof. The EPA estimates that with proper insulation, you can save 15% on your heating costs.
6. Living With Drafts
Drafts are one of the most annoying heating issues in the Mid-Atlantic. An HVAC system in a drafty house has to work harder to keep you warm. Even then, drafts still make the rooms in your home cold despite the heat. To avoid drafts, either caulk around windows and doors or add weather stripping.
Putting plastic over your windows, either inside or outside, helps prevent drafts as well. If you have pets or children, it’s best to put the plastic on the outside of your windows to avoid holes and tears in it.
7. Using a Manual Thermostat
In this era of homeowners searching for energy-efficient solutions, a manual thermostat just doesn’t cut it anymore. While you may have it set for your desired temperature when you’re home, you’re wasting energy by keeping your home at that same temperature when it’s unoccupied. While you could turn down the thermostat every time you leave the home, it’s far easier to switch to a smart thermostat that automatically adjusts the temperature when you leave.
With 50 years of experience, our NATE-certified technicians are here to help when your heating system is on the fritz. Contact our team at Hancock Refrigeration today to upgrade your heating controls with programmable thermostats to keep you warm in your Lusby, MD, home this winter and save money while staying comfortable.
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