Even though the coldest parts of the winter season here in the Houston area are more than likely done, we’re not out of the woods quite yet. There are still days that get pretty chilly, and on those days you might be tempted to crank the heat up. Doing so, however, means you’ll have to pay for the heat on the back end with some irritatingly high energy bills.
You can sidestep this issue, though, by taking a few steps at home to create heat through other means. Follow these simple tips from the experts at Morrow Mechanical, and you’ll be cozy and comfortable on those winter doldrums.
Seal Entry Points in Your Home
One of the ways that we end up paying more for energy bills than we intended to is from losing the heat we’ve already incorporated in our homes! If your doors, windows and other entry points to your home aren’t properly sealed, then you’ll lose a significant amount of heat to the outdoors. Get some weather stripping and place it underneath your door, or perform a quick caulking job to reseal any openings, and you can save anywhere from 5-20% on your heating bills!
Lower the Water Heater Temperature
One of the things that comforts us the most during a cold spell is jumping in a searing-hot shower. But if you adjust the temperature of your water heater just a bit, you can end up with substantial savings. Most water heaters are set by default at roughly 140 degrees Fahrenheit – but lowering the temperature by just 10 degrees can make a huge difference!
According to the National Energy Foundation, a 10-degree change can save you anywhere from 3-5% on your energy bills – a small percentage that will add up throughout the year!
Purchase Rugs to Insulate Floor
If you had to list the places in your home that suffer the most from heat loss, where would your floor rank? It probably wouldn’t be too high, but it should be. Thanks to our friends from the NEF, we know that you can lose roughly 10% of your home’s energy through the floor if it’s not insulated! Cover your floor with area rugs to prevent that much-needed warmth from escaping.
Layer Up!
This is the simplest way to save money. Although we can’t reasonably expect anyone to turn their thermostat down to 50 degrees – we certainly couldn’t – a more manageable temperature is doable if you compensate in other ways.
If you can handle it, keep your thermostat at around 70 degrees during the colder days, and add a few layers to your wardrobe. A nice sweater and some wool socks and slippers will help balance out the chillier temperatures, and they don’t cost a thing to wear!
When you’re looking for a company to help keep you warm when it’s cold, don’t look any further than Morrow Mechanical. Give us a call at 281-370-1566 for the reliable, friendly heating service you can count on!
