With Winter fast approaching here in the Phoenix, AZ metro area, it’s a good time to refocus on things that can help to reduce your Winter season heating energy costs, especially when experts say that a residential heating system are typically a significant contributor to the monthly cost of a home’s utility bill.

That said, there is some misinformation out there regarding what things can be done to reduce heating costs.  Here are our top five mistakes that can actually end up costing you more money on your monthly heating bills.

Dramatically increasing the temperature on your thermostat

Sometimes, people will try to abruptly crank up the temperature on their thermostat in an effort to warm their home more quickly, intending to reduce the temperature once their home warms up enough.  However, doing this will make your heater work harder, consume more energy (gas or electric), thus costing you more money.  Therefore, it’s best to keep your thermometer set to a moderate/comfortable temperature from the get go and then program smaller temperature adjustments for the evenings if you want to save money on your heating costs.

Closing doors and vents/registers/grilles

Some mistakenly believe that in order to reduce heating costs, they should close the doors in their homes as well as the air vents (registers or grilles) in or to rooms that are not being used.

However, in doing so, you are actually obstructing air flow which makes your heating system work harder and therefore, consume more energy.

Registers or grilles, by the way, are the vents that control air flow into a room from heating and cooling systems.

Poorly sealed doors and windows

Did you know that when you have unsealed gaps or crevices between your windows and doors, cold air can get in? Poorly sealed doors and windows is one of the most common reasons why your home’s heating system may need to work harder, resulting in greater energy consumption to keep your home warm.  To avoid this, you must properly install weather stripping around your doors and windows and replace any that may be worn or damaged.

Using alternate heat sources

Under certain circumstances, you may be tempted to use other types of heat sources, such as a space heater or even, a fireplace, rather than use your home’s furnace. However, to do so, can end up costing you more. It’s recommended that you primarily use your home’s furnace as your primary heating source if you’d like to save money in the long run.

Heating at the wrong times

Running your heating system all day long is not the most cost effective way to heat your home. Therefore, you may want to consider a programmable thermostat that can enable you to schedule your furnace to run at slightly lower temperatures when during the weekdays and in the evenings when everyone is asleep. Doing so could save you up to 10% on your heating bills.

If you’d like to learn more about how to avoid these mistakes, or you would like to schedule an appointment to have one of our heating system professions inspect your furnace, contact heating and cooling experts at Eagle Air Cooling & Heating by calling 480-748-1781.