By Logan Eppley
•
05 Nov, 2019
We know that the cold weather is finally here in Wilmington, North Carolina and that cold weather is here to stay. We have some cold months ahead of us and we want to make sure that you, your HVAC system AND your wallet are all prepared and ready to tackle the cold. We have already talked about how to keep your energy bill low during the summertime with the heat, but today we are going to talk about how to keep your energy bill low during the fall and winter seasons. Below are a few of our favorite tips and tricks to get the most out of your heating unit and to keep your energy bill as low as possible in the upcoming months: • Maintain your Heating Unit (Furnace, Heat Pump, etc.) • Get cozy with warm blankets, sweaters, space heaters, etc. • Adjust your thermostat according to the weather • Let sunlight inside of your home for natural heat Program Your Thermostat Hopefully you’ve already changed your thermostat programming and settings to be adjusted for the fall season. If you’re still using your settings for the summertime, there is no better time than now to adjust accordingly. Make sure you turn your AC unit off as you will no longer need it (unless there is a North Carolina day that gets randomly hot as NC tends to do). This will save you money because you are not mindlessly running your AC without needing it or even feeling the benefit of it. Get Cozy This may sound silly but if you are really looking to save a few bucks and lower your energy bill, bring out your heaviest and warmest blankets. Heated blankets are a great option and don’t use as much energy as your heating unit would. Additionally, you can bring out your warmest sweats and sweatshirts to stay warm in while watching TV or just lounging around. If you can, try to use your heavy blankets for bedtime instead of turning up your heat. Open Your Curtains & Blinds In the summertime, we tell you to avoid opening your blinds and curtains. In the fall and winter, we are telling you to do the opposite. Let the natural sunlight inside of your home to create a natural heating effect. When your curtains and blinds are closed, your home only has its heating unit to rely on. With the help of the sun, you will hopefully be able to keep your energy bill down because you are not having to crank up the heat even more so. Maintain Your Heating Unit Last but not least, maintain your heating unit. Make sure that your heating unit is in good shape before tackling the winter cold. After all, you are going to be relying on it all fall and winter, you need to make sure that everything is working properly and all your vents and filters are open and clean. If you need help with the maintenance of your heating unit and are in the greater Wilmington, North Carolina area, give Total Comfort Services a call today!