Reasons Your Heating Bills Rise in the Winter

When the outside temperature drops, your heating system works double-time to maintain the temperature inside your house. Most homeowners will see an increase in the monthly energy bills, and for some, it might be perplexing.

However, if they are increasingly exorbitant, you might have to look into it more seriously. This article is a good way for you to understand the reasons for it and ways you can prevent it.

1) Weak or Damaged Insulation

If parts of your house aren’t properly insulated, you’re going to notice increased heating costs. Check attics or walls to see if there are any issues with insulation, and whether they are retaining any heat. If the heater runs all day but you’re unable to see much of a difference in your home temperature, insulation is likely a problem.

You can map out areas that need fixing and call in professionals to add more insulation. They might even diagnose problems like outdated systems, insulation infested with pests, etc. After proper insulation, your bill is going to drop by as much as 30-40%.

2) Inefficient Heating Systems

Any and all heating systems require electricity or some kind of fuel to generate heat. If you have an inefficient heating system installed, you’re going to face a gross electricity bill every month. When investing in a heating system, make sure it saves electricity and has a high AFUE rating.

While the cost of replacing the heating unit upfront is more expensive than an electricity bill for a month, you’re going to save on energy consumption and for a longer time.

3) Programmable Thermostat

Having to turn your heating system on and off on a daily basis consumes more energy than keeping it running throughout the day. This is why investing in a programmable thermostat is going to be a good idea.

If your thermostat has a scheduling feature, make use of it to manage the cost of your home’s energy bill. If you are out of the house during the day, the temperature can automatically set to a lower degree, so there is less energy consumed. Explore more features of the thermostat and design the schedule accordingly; you’re going to notice a difference in your electricity bill!

4) Poor Maintenance

One of the main reasons you face increasing bills is if you’re not careful about maintaining or getting your heating system serviced. Keeping up with HVAC maintenance is important to keep it functioning efficiently.

While your HVAC contractor has scheduled inspections, it is a smart idea to get regular inspections and get your air filters replaced when needed. This keeps everything in near-perfect shape, with few problems encountered.

An efficient heating system means keeping up with the regular inspections and making sure you’re not unwittingly causing the system to over-work. However, if you’re still unable to understand the sudden spike in your energy bills, consult professionals to diagnose the problem and get it fixed.