Looking to Reduce Heating Costs This Winter? Here Are 4 Steps to Get Started on Now

Before you know it, winter will arrive and you’ll need to start worrying about heating bills. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to reduce heating costs in your Mobile area home. You can start with these four steps:

Check Your Thermostat

First off, if you don’t have either a programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat, you’re behind the times. These types of devices allow you to gain better control over the heating of your home and will save you money immediately. Also, lower the temperature to 68 degrees or lower. For each degree you dial it down, you’ll save approximately 2-3 percent.

Find and Seal Air Leaks

A home energy audit conducted by a professional HVAC technician will help identify problem areas in your home, but there are obvious places you can’t miss. Start by sealing the gaps around your doors and windows with either caulk or weatherstripping. One source of air leakage that’s often missed is your electrical outlets. You can seal those by using child-proof plastic plugs.

Add Insulation, if Needed

If you lack insulation in your attic, basement or exterior walls, heat will escape from your home while the cold weather to infiltrate, forcing your heating equipment to work harder than it should. Insulation can sometimes be tricky, so call a trusted technician if you need assistance.

Lower Water Heater Temperature

Who takes showers in 140-degree water? The answer: no one. Yet most water heaters have a factory default setting of 140 degrees. Instead, turn it down to 120 degrees, which will represent its warm or medium setting. You’ll save money and avoid accidental scalding, and your clothes and dishes will still get clean. To prevent heat loss, wrap your older water heater in a thick blanket. (Newer water heaters usually come pre-insulated.)

For more expert advice on how you can reduce heating costs this winter, or if you have other concerns related to home comfort, please contact us at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. We’ve been serving the HVAC needs of Mobile, Baldwin County and the surrounding area since 1964.