Without Compromising Your Cozy Comfort
Buckle up, Michiganders. It’s going to be a tough winter. Inflation and higher prices are expected to stay with us for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, homeowners are being warned to brace for higher home heating costs this winter, too.
If you heat your home with natural gas, it’s predicted the average homeowner in Michigan will pay $1,013 in heating costs this winter, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That’s a 33 percent increase. If you use electricity, the cost is expected to be $1,437, an 8 percent jump. Given these numbers, it’s more important than ever to find ways to save energy and cut your monthly utility bills.
Here are just a few suggestions:
- Give Your Heater Some Love: A tune-up is a great way to improve your system’s efficiency and prevent those unexpected heating repairs and heating replacements from happening. At Matheson, our technicians are trained to examine your system thoroughly and make the adjustments that will keep it running smoothly.
- Don’t Let Heat Escape: Did you know that one-third of a home’s heat loss typically occurs through doors and windows? It’s true! Warm indoor air can easily escape your home through any gaps, cracks or openings in your doors and windows. You can prevent this mutiny by caulking leaks, adding weather-stripping, placing “draft dodgers” at the bottoms of doors and closing curtains or blinds at night (just be sure to keep curtains and blinds open during the daytime to let the warm sun shine in).
- Get a Smart Thermostat: A smart thermostat can “learn” your patterns, lowering the thermostat at night or when everyone is out of the house, including during working hours or vacations. You can save about 10 percent on your heating bills by lowering the thermostat by 10 to 15 percent when you sleep.
- Replace Dirty Furnace Filters: A dirty filter can force your heating system to work harder, which raises your energy costs.
- Lower the Temperature on the Water Heater: Dropping the temperature from 140 degrees to 120 degrees will save you money without sacrificing your supply of hot water.
- Use the Energy-Saver Mode: When you use the energy-saver mode on devices such as laptops, smartphones, televisions and gaming devices, it can reduce your energy costs while still allowing you to use and enjoy your equipment.
- Shut Down Devices When Not in Use: Your electronic devices still use energy when they’re not in use. Unplugging them or turning them off will help cut your energy use. A power strip that shuts down numerous devices at once can make this task easier to accomplish.
- Don’t Open the Oven Door! We know. It’s really tempting! But when you do this, the oven temperature can drop by as much as 25 degrees. Your oven will have to use more energy to warm up and return to the preset temperature. Use the light to check on your food instead of opening the door.
- Wash Clothes in Cold Water: Years ago, it was important to wash clothes in hot water to get them clean. But today’s detergents do a great job in cold water. Doing only full loads is another way to save energy and cut costs.
- Choose LED lightbulbs: LED light bulbs are much more energy efficient than standard light bulbs. Replace the bulbs in your home wherever it makes sense.
From repairing your heating system to replacing your water heater, the Matheson team is eager to help you make it through the winter comfortably. To schedule an appointment, call us at 248.971.2994 or reach out through our website.