In the greater Philadelphia, Bucks County, PA area, homeowners and business owners will generally start turning on their heating system in October and use it almost daily until March or April.
Pennsylvania households consume an average of 96 million Btu per year, 8%
more than the U.S. average. Pennsylvania residents also spend 16% more than
the average U.S. households for energy consumed in their homes.
Consumers will likely pay record prices to heat their homes this winter, with a particularly big jump expected in heating oil bills, according to a recent report showing how a recent surge in oil prices could hit homeowners.
HVAC Philly, Philadelphia’s top HVAC specialists, put together a list of tips to help ease some of the cost of heating your home. These simple but effective tips can help minimize some of the energy costs increases typical of the winter season.
Black Out Curtains
During the day utilize the natural and free heat from the sun. Open your curtains and let the sunlight flood your home from every window possible. In the evening shut your curtains, preferably blackout curtains which do a fantastic job of keeping the heat in your home and prevents too much leakage through your window. H
Use a Heating Timer On Your Central Heating
HVAC Philly suggests programming your boiler, furnace, or heat pump to activate the heating about 30 minutes before you get out of bed in the morning. Furnaces and boilers heat up at a consistent speed no matter what you sent your temperature to.
Unblock Your Heating Vents
Although it can be tempting to set up your sofa right in front of your heating vent to capture all the warmth, it’s not actually doing much good for keeping your whole home warm. When furniture blocks your heating vents or radiators they absorb the heat making your heater work extra hard to heat the whole home. A harder working furnace equals a larger energy bill.
Insulate Your Home
Insulation is the best investment you can make in a long-term residence. Even if you go for more expensive materials and pay a hefty price upfront, you’re almost sure to recoup that money with lower utility bills over time. If you don’t have the money to do your entire house, consider one area at a time. Learn more about the types of insulation available, the areas in your home to insulation and more cost considerations involved in home insulation.
Keep Your Water Tank Insulated
For those that have a hot water tank, be sure that it is kept properly insulated. This will keep the water in the tank, warmer for longer, reducing costs.
Turn Down The Heat
You may be thinking this the OPPOSITE of what we are trying to do, however, research has shown that turning your thermostat down by at least 1 degree could actually cut your heating bill by almost 10%. Quite frankly you’d be surprised what your comfort level actually is. One degree is barely perceptible, yet it makes a big difference.
Locate The Draughts and Block Them Out
I know we’ve all had a grandmother or mother who made their own little draught excluder in front of their back and front door. This is not only a fun little DIY craft for you and your family to do, but it is also a smart way to prevent heat from escaping through the little cracks in the doors. Self-adhesive rubber seals around doors and windows and door draught excluders are fairly inexpensive and simple to install.
Upgrade Your Furnace Or Boiler
If your furnace is approaching the end of its effective lifespan, it may be time to replace it with a new, more efficient model. If a lot of your money is going into repairs, or your energy bill is continuously increasing despite trying to implement some of these tips, it would be best to contact your local Bucks County, PA, HVAC specialist.
For more FAQ about your HVAC system, be sure to follow HVAC Philly Blog, for helpful tips and information related to heating repair, heating maintenance and services provided to the greater Philadelphia, Bucks County, PA and Montgomery County, PA areas.
If you are in the greater Philadelphia, Montgomery County, or Bucks County, PA areas, HVAC Philly offers affordable, professional and expert HVAC services to commercial buildings and homes throughout the area. They have over 20 years experience and rated top ten HVAC companies in Philadelphia.
Heating Service areas:
Bristol, PA 19007
Bucks County
Cheltenham, PA 19012
Churchville, PA 18966
Elkins Park, PA. 19012
Fairless Hills, PA 19030
Feasterville, PA 19053
Fishtown, Philadelphia, 19125
Glenside, PA 19038
Graduate Hospital, Philadelphia, 19146
Holland, PA 18966
Horsham, PA 19040
Huntingdon Valley, PA
Jamison, PA 18929
Jenkintown, PA 19046
Langhorne, PA 19047
Levittown, PA
Montgomery County
Morrisville, PA 19067
Newtown, PA
Northeast Philly
Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, 19123
Queen Village, Philadelphia, 19147
Richboro, PA 18954
Rittenhouse, Philadelphia, 19102
Roxborough
Society Hill, Philadelphia, 19106
South Philadelphia, PA 19145
Southampton, PA 18966
University City, Philadelphia, 19104
Warminster
willow grove, PA 19090
Wyncote, PA
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