As we head into October here in the Valley of the Sun, temperatures begin to noticeably drop and then soon Winter will be upon us. That’s good news when it comes to your electricity bill because you won’t need to run your air conditioner. When evening temperatures drop, you’ll probably begin to use your heating system. However, if you don’t establish good practices, you could end up paying a lot more on your heating bill. Here is our list of the top 4 mistakes that can increase your heating bill.

Turning Your Thermostat Way Up

When it comes to your heating system, abrupt and significant increases in the temperature setting will not make your home warmer sooner. Instead, this will only make your heating system consumer more energy. And that in turn leads to higher heating bills.

Running Your Heating System Continuously

If you really want to jack up your heating bill, running your heating system continuously is the way to do it. However, if you’re like most homeowners wanting to REDUCE your heating bill, while still maintaining a comfortable temperature, you may want to consider using a programmable thermostat to run on a schedule that adjusts the temperature based on who’s at home and when. Used optimally, you may be able to save up to 10% on your heating bills.

Lack of Good Weatherproofing

When you lack good weatherproofing that leaves gaps between your windows and doors, this leads to heat escaping from inside your home. A colder home makes your heating system work harder (consume more energy) that it needs to. Therefore, it is wise to caulk and weather strip your windows and doors to better seal your home from heat loss.

Shutting Doors and Vents

You might think that it’s a good idea to shut all doors and vents to rooms that may not be in use. However, that actually is a bad idea if you want to reduce your heating bill. Why? That’s because doing this will make your system work harder because it restricts the airflow of your system. This in turn, make your heating system work harder (consume more energy) thereby increasing your heating bill.

When you avoid our top 4 mistakes, you can not only help your heating system to work more efficiently, but you can end up saving significantly on your energy bill as well. If you have any questions about your heating system, give us a call at 480-748-1781.