Is saving money one of your New Year’s resolutions? Practice these energy efficiency tips to save on your heating and cooling costs this year.
- Upgrade to a high efficiency furnace to save on your heating bill.
- Before buying a new furnace or boiler or modifying your existing unit, first make every effort to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Energy-efficiency improvements will save you money on a new furnace or boiler, because you can purchase a smaller unit. After making energy-efficiency improvements, have a heating contractor size your furnace. A properly sized furnace or boiler will operate most efficiently. You'll want to choose a dependable unit and compare the warranties of each furnace or boiler you’re considering.
- Have your furnace maintained and inspected annually by a qualified technician to ensure optimal performance.
- A sealed combustion furnace or boiler will bring outside air directly into the burner and exhaust flue gases (combustion products) directly to the outside, without the need for a draft hood or damper. Furnaces and boilers that are not sealed combustion units draw heated air into the unit for combustion and then send that air up the chimney, wasting the energy that was used to heat the air. Sealed combustion units avoid that problem and also pose no risk of introducing dangerous combustion gases into your house. In furnaces that are not sealed-combustion units, backdrafting of combustion gases can be a big problem.
- Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as recommended.
- Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are finished cooking or bathing. When replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
- Keep registers and radiators clean.
- Many existing duct systems lose a lot of energy from leakage and poor insulation, but you can reduce that loss by sealing and insulating your ducts.
- Install a programmable, WiFi, or smart thermostat to manage your energy use when you are sleeping or not at home.
