With the crisp and chilly months of autumn upon us, now’s a good time for Utah homeowners to begin preparing their homes for fall and winter. This is especially true when it comes to boosting a home’s energy efficiency to save money and reduce carbon footprints. Before you kick on your Utah furnace for the first time this season, make sure you make note of the following tips.
Energy Saving Thermostat
If you have an older thermostat dial, one of the easiest and cheapest home upgrades you can make is to install an electronic programmable thermostat in its place. By doing so, you can save energy by setting your thermostat temperature to fluctuate throughout the day.
How can this save energy? Imagine this scenario. When you leave for work and your house is empty, you have your thermostat set to 65 degrees. However, a half hour before you get home, your thermostat is set to kick up to a cozy 70 degrees. Your furnace works less throughout the day, but your home is still warm and comfortable by the time you get home.
Keep HVAC Air Filters Cleaned
One of the most important aspects of keeping your furnace running efficiently is a clean filter. Not only does a dirty filter make your furnace work harder, but it also detracts from your home’s overall air quality.
Depending on the type of filter with which your furnace is equipped, you should be replacing it at least once every month or two. This is something you can easily do yourself in a matter of minutes, and most air filters don’t cost more than a few bucks.
Open All Floor Registers
Many homeowners operate under the misguided assumption that closing heating vents in rooms that don’t receive much traffic will help them save on energy costs. The idea here is that by doing this, the air from the furnace is better circulated to the rooms with open vents and, as a result, the furnace doesn’t need to work as hard.
Unfortunately, this isn’t true. In reality, this can damage your home’s ventilation and ductwork, costing you more money down the road. When you completely close vents in your home, your furnace has no way of detecting this. As such, it continues to work just as hard, causing pressure to build up within your home’s vents (Angie’s List). Ultimately, this can lead to leaks in your ductwork, further hurting your home’s energy efficiency.
Upgrade to Energy Efficient Appliances
Any time you need to replace an appliance, take the time to make sure it’s Energy Star-rated. Many new appliances on the market these days are Energy Star rated, but not all of them are. You can tell if one is by looking for the official seal or asking an experienced appliance salesperson.
While you’ll pay more for an Energy Star appliance up-front, this extra cost will easily pay off in the long run-in savings. Energy Star appliances use much less energy than traditional appliances, so you should notice monthly savings on your electric and/or gas bills. At the same time, you may also be eligible for substantial tax credits at the end of the year when you purchase these appliances.
Schedule an Annual HVAC Tune-up
Even if your furnace is still relatively new and hasn’t given you any problems before, it’s a good idea to schedule an annual tune-up with a professional Utah HVAC company to keep your furnace running as efficiently as possible. This is especially true for Utah homeowners whose furnaces often sit dormant and unused for a good six months out of the year.
Here at Main Street Heating & Cooling, we offer plenty of specialized membership programs to help ensure that your furnace is always in tip-top shape through regular inspections, preventative maintenance, and other comprehensive services. No matter what your budget is, we’re sure to have a plan that will help you save on utilities and give you peace of mind of knowing your furnace is in safe and efficient operation. Visit our website today to check out our maintenance plans and find the one that suits your needs as a homeowner. Call today at (385) 422-2232.