fbpx
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The Money Pit house logo

Home Improvement Tips & Ideas

  • Start Here
  • Money Pit Podcast
  • Media Kit
  • Posts
  • Search
  • Start Here
  • Money Pit Podcast
  • Media Kit
  • Posts
  • Search
  • Spaces
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • Home Exteriors
    • Garages & Sheds
    • Outdoor Living
    • Basements & Crawlspaces
  • Reno/Repair
    • Heating
    • Floors
    • Windows
    • Roofs & Gutters
    • Lighting & Wiring
  • Popular Topics
    • Storage & Organization
    • Painting & Decorating
    • Cleaning
    • Pests & Wildlife
    • Buying or Selling a Home
  • Features
    • DIY
    • Pet Friendly
    • Green Home
    • Quick Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
    • The Money Pit Podcast
    • Your Calls, Our Answers Podcast
    • Money Pit Minute Podcast
    • Top Products Podcast
  • Spaces
    • Kitchens
    • Bathrooms
    • Home Exteriors
    • Garages & Sheds
    • Outdoor Living
    • Basements & Crawlspaces
  • Reno/Repair
    • Heating
    • Floors
    • Windows
    • Roofs & Gutters
    • Lighting & Wiring
  • Popular Topics
    • Storage & Organization
    • Painting & Decorating
    • Cleaning
    • Pests & Wildlife
    • Buying or Selling a Home
  • Features
    • DIY
    • Pet Friendly
    • Green Home
    • Quick Tips
  • Podcasts
    • Subscribe
    • The Money Pit Podcast
    • Your Calls, Our Answers Podcast
    • Money Pit Minute Podcast
    • Top Products Podcast
You are here: Home / 5 Ways To Stop Wasting Money Heating Your House
Heating

5 Ways To Stop Wasting Money Heating Your House

Tom KraeutlerUntitled-2 Leave a Comment

Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0Email0
ways to save energy

Staying on top of your heating and cooling system maintenance will make your systems run more efficiently and last longer. Here are five ways to save energy that can help cut your heating bills:

Annual tune-ups

Just like that valuable piece of machinery in your driveway, a heating and cooling system needs annual maintenance to keep on running efficiently. So plan to have a contractor pay pre-season calls (fall for heating, spring for cooling) to address elements in Energy Star’s recommended Heating and Cooling Maintenance Checklist. This is one of the easiest ways to save energy, increasing comfort and making sure your heating system is safe.

Filter switch

Filters should be checked every month, with extra-special attention during heavy-use seasons. A dirty filter slows down air flow and wastes energy by making your system work harder, and can also lead to expensive mechanical maintenance or even failure if dirt and dust are allowed to build up. At the very least, change the filters every three months, and select the most sophisticated replacement models available for optimum dust screening.

Program for savings

By installing a programmable thermostat and setting it to match your away-from-home schedule, you can save around $180 in annual energy costs for both heating and cooling systems.

Seal the deal

Did you know that up to 20 percent of potential comfort escapes through poorly sealed and insulated ductwork? Ducts running through the attic, crawlspace, garage and unheated basement should be first on your maintenance list; use duct sealant (mastic) or metal-backed tape (never duct tape, as it doesn’t have the required staying power) to seal all seams and connections. Follow with an insulation wrap, and repeat the process with ducts that you can access in the heated or cooled parts of the house.

Improve home insulation

When correctly installed, every type of insulation contributes to comfort, reduces energy bills and supplements your HVAC maintenance. Insulation performance is measured by R-value, the ability to resist heat flow and adding more is one of the most effective ways ot save energy. The higher the value, the stronger the insulating power. R-value requirements vary for different areas of the home, and the climate you live in will determine overall needs. Refer to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Insulation Recommendations for more detailed tips.

Related Posts

7 House Spiders to Watch Out for This Summertiny house, mini house designLive Big with These Tiny House Designslower heating bills12 Hot Ideas to Lower Your Heating Billsheating, costs, gas, furnace, carbon monoxide, best heating systemHome Heating Fuel OptionsHow to Get Rid of Thousand-Leggers Without Getting Grossed OutTom Kraeutler, Leslie Segrete, The money PitAbout Money Pit Media

Related Podcasts

control humidityDo I Need a Return Vent For a Whole-House Dehumidifier?The Money Pit Your Calls Our Answers Podcast LogoHow to Solve Window CondensationThe Money Pit Your Calls Our Answers Podcast LogoAir Coming Out of Electrical OutletsThe Money Pit Your Calls Our Answers Podcast LogoEliminate Dust with a Whole House Air CleanerThe Money Pit Your Calls Our Answers Podcast LogoStop Exterior House Paint From PeelingThe Money Pit Top Products PodcastCarrier: Infinity® 20 Heat Pump with Greenspeed™ Intelligence
Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0Email0
Heating

About Tom Kraeutler

Tom is the Host, Founder and Chief Home Improvement Evangelist of The Money Pit. He is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight -- when their basement floods!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Footer

Favorite Posts

Best Heaters for a Garage: Forced Air, Infrared or Portable?

Basement Waterproofing Tips | How to Fix a Wet Basement

How to Make Natural Wood Stain Using Coffee, Berries & More!

How to Floor Your Attic Without Wrecking Your Roof

10 Easy Recipes for Natural Cleaning Products

Popular Podcasts

Episode # 2080: Stopping Noisy Plumbing | Fast Fix for Loose Wallpaper | Solutions for Smelly Water | Your Q & A

Episode #2079: Low-Voltage Landscape Lighting | Automatic Pet Doors | Kitchen Cabinet Organization | Your Q & A

Episode #2078: Quick Ideas for Curb Appeal | Top Home Repair Mistakes | Cleanups for Driveways & Walks | Your Q & A

Episode #2077: Paint Colors that say Wow | Top 5 Projects for ROI | Easy Fix for Noisy Radiators | Best Floors for Damp Places

Episode #2076: Kitchen Spruce Ups for Renters | Secret Code for Best Air Filters | Power Plan for Black Outs | Your Q & A

Newsletter

Get weekly updates with the latest tips and tricks to save money in your home.

No spam, ever.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Site Footer

  • Media Kit
  • Partners
  • Endorsement Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy and Cookie Solution
  • About
  • Affiliates
  • Cookie Policy (US)

Copyright © 1999–2021 The Money Pit · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!