Whether you're a homeowner or landlord, you can easily save money on your electric bill this winter by improving your residential heating efficiency. When your heater runs at full efficiency, power bills remain affordable. Your family is also always comfortable when the heater is working as expected. So, how can you ensure your residential heating is always running at full efficiency?
Schedule Heater Maintenance
Regular maintenance of your home's heating system ensures all components are working as expected. Preventative maintenance involves checking for emerging problems and repairing residential heating where necessary.
Ensure the technician checks the state of the filters because clogged filters impede the flow of hot air. It is advisable to change the filters with every change of season. You should schedule heater maintenance before the start of the cold season.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats have become very useful in achieving energy efficiency in homes. You can program it for different daytime, night, or weekends heating needs. A smart thermostat can also learn the heating patterns of the home and even different rooms. It adjusts automatically.
Use a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)
An HRV is a great way to improve the efficiency of your home heating. It's an air exchange device that takes the warm air from your house and exchanges it with outside air. In the process, it captures heat from your exhaust ventilation system.
The heat is then used for your central residential heating system. It is a great way to recover heat and reduce energy consumption.
Bleed the Radiator
Air in the radiator can cause blockage and a malfunction. Therefore, it is advisable to ensure the radiator is cleaned out during preventative maintenance before the cold season. You can also minimize heat loss by installing reflectors between the radiator and walls with poor insulation.
Seal the Air Ducts
Leaky air ducts can make the heating system inefficient because the furnace has to work harder to replace the escaping hot air. Sealing the air ducts makes them leakproof, ensuring hot air goes where expected.
Upgrade Your Heater
Like any other appliance, the heater has a service lifespan. You will see higher power bills and more breakdowns when it goes beyond this life expectancy. Therefore, if your heater is beyond its service life, replacing it with a new, more efficient heater is a better alternative.
Are you worried your heater is taking a disproportionate part of the power bill? Call an HVAC contractor to explore ways of improving your residential heating system for higher efficiency and fewer breakdowns.
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