When you live in central Wisconsin, chances are you keep your heat on for several months out of the year. And if that’s true for you, chances are you’ve paid some pretty hefty heating bills during the dead of winter, especially if your heating system is several years old.
But you don’t have to let wintertime heating costs break the bank — at least not when you know a few solid tips and tricks for reducing your energy usage. If you’re ready to pay less for keeping your house warm this year, consider trying one or more of the following ways to save money on your heating bill.
1. Break Out the Space Heaters
If you tend to only use a few spaces in your home, have you thought about keeping those spaces warmer than the rest of the house? If not, consider purchasing a few space heaters and placing them in the areas you use most.
Space heaters use far less energy than a traditional electric furnace, and while they can’t heat huge areas, they can produce plenty of heat to keep you toasty in a single room. Just make sure you only run those heaters when you can keep an eye on them.
Always shut them off when you turn in for the night and keep them at least three feet away from anything that could catch fire.
2. Get Your Thermostat Tested
If your heating bills seem unusually high, you may be dealing with a faulty thermostat, especially if your device is old. Most thermostats have a lifespan of about 10 years, after which they may experience issues regulating the temperature of your home.
If you haven’t had your unit tested recently (or ever) consider hiring a heating and cooling professional to inspect and test your unit. If it’s having problems, a pro can diagnose and repair it or replace your thermostat with a better model that can save you money.
3. Schedule Annual Furnace Maintenance
Just as your vehicle needs routine maintenance to perform its best, your heating system—whether you have a furnace, boiler, or heat pump—needs regular maintenance to perform optimally.
Ideally, you should schedule a cleaning and inspection of your heating unit once a year. This service appointment will help maximize the efficiency of your HVAC system, which can help bring down your heating bills.
It’ll also give you insight into any potential problems your unit may have and let you know approximately how much life your heating unit has left.
If a boiler heats your home, here’s what you should know about boiler maintenance, and if you have an electric or fuel-powered furnace, check out these five winter furnace maintenance tips.
Need a Heating & Cooling Pro Near Wisconsin Rapids?
Can’t figure out why your heating bills are so high? Then reach out to our team at Steve’s Plumbing & Heating for help! We serve homeowners in Wisconsin Rapids, Stevens Point, Wausau, and Marshfield and have proudly provided a wide variety of HVAC services for nearly 30 years.
To learn more about how we can help, give us a call today at 715-421-1800. You can also request a service estimate online, and we’ll get in touch with more information!