As much as we hate to say it, there’s just no way around it:
You can’t get heating in your home for free.
When that technology becomes available, you can count on us to install it for you. Until then, we just have to do our best to balance efficiency and performance. After all, just because we’re HVAC contractors in Hattiesburg, MS doesn’t mean we’re exempt from the price of heating bills!
And it also doesn’t mean that we can’t share some advice on how to keep your heating bills low. Here are some of the methods that any homeowner should use to reduce their heating costs:
1. Maximize the Potential of Your Thermostat
We mention this first because it’s something that any homeowner can take advantage of. Whether you’re using a basic digital thermostat or an advanced smart thermostat, proper thermostat discipline and a heating strategy can lead to some significant savings. Some tips include:
- Keeping the indoor temperature closer to the outdoor temperature. Decreasing the work your HVAC system has to do is a reliable way to maintain efficiency.
- Reduce the heating at bedtime. The human body prefers sleeping in room temperatures between 60 and 67 degrees, so it won’t hurt to lower the temperature. Just make sure to bundle up!
- If you have a smart or wireless thermostat, you can depend on many of the built-in features and programs to help reduce your spending.
2. Make the Switch to Solar Heating
It’s a big investment, but if you’re dedicated to reducing your monthly heating expenses, this is a surefire method. Installing a solar HVAC system will give you a clean, natural form of energy. And overall, it’s going to be less expensive.
Monthly heating costs can be cut by half when switching to solar. Plus, any extra electricity that you generate can go toward other appliances or even be sold back to the utility company.
A solar HVAC system can certainly help lower your heating costs, but it’s also a great investment for lowering your air conditioning costs in summer.
3. Install a Tankless Water Heater
Your classic storage tank water heater is inexpensive to operate, but there is one drawback to their efficiency. It’s called standby heat loss, and it can gradually add extra costs to your heating every month.
Tank water heaters heat and store several gallons of water at a time. However, if that water isn’t used soon enough, the heat will gradually dissipate. The water heater will then heat the water again. Although it’s a minuscule portion of energy used every day, it does add up into unnecessary costs.
Tankless water heaters do away with standby heat loss entirely since they don’t need to store water before heating it. They heat water on-demand through a gas or electrical heating element, so you’re only using heat when needed.
