With the rising cost of utility bills, many homeowners are looking for ways to cut expenses. As winter’s cooler temperatures set in, no doubt you’ll be enjoying the warmth that your furnace produces. However, using your furnace, or cranking up the thermostat, can definitely increase your wintertime utility bills.

There are a few ways, however, to ensure that you can keep your utility bills under check this winter:

• Schedule service for your furnace: Make sure that you schedule a preventive-maintenance visit for your furnace as soon as possible. An annual inspection by your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) professional ensures that your system is cleaned, lubricated (as necessary), and checked to ensure that it will run optimally and efficiently all winter. Additionally, your HVAC contractor can pinpoint small issues that can be repaired to improve your efficiency.
• Check your filters: Locate the filter on your furnace, and check it every six to eight weeks.  Washable filters can last up to a year, but should be checked and cleaned regularly. Disposable filters, however, should be checked monthly if your using your HVAC system full-time. A dirty filter prevents the furnace from working as efficiently as it should, because it’s working overtime to push heated air through clogs.
• Use ceiling fans: A lot of people use ceiling fans in the summer to assist the air conditioner but don’t think about using it for winter weather.  If you switch the direction that the fan blades move during the winter, to push air toward the ceiling, it will help push down the warm air up up near the ceiling.
• Use insulated drapes: You can prevent much of the cold air that comes in through the windows by hanging insulated drapes.  Even though you should winterize your windows with caulk around the edges.

For more expert help with maintaining your furnace for lower utility bills, contact Powers Heating & Air for all your comfort needs. We proudly service residential and commercial customers in the Peachtree City area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about lowering your utility bills and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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