Home Heating Is Pricey During Cold Months; Smarter HVAC Use Can Help

These days, every family needs to stretch their dollars a little further than usual. Between supply chain-related shortages and price increases, Southern Maryland families are looking for savings wherever they can find them.

At Q-Dog, we understand the worries of homeowners in our region, and we don’t want wintertime heating bills to add to that stress.

So, while we can’t help you with that long-delayed car part or bring down the price of milk, we have experience helping customers save money on their energy bills. Here are three tips that can make a real dent in your monthly oil and gas usage.

Add Insulation and Weather Stripping

You can have a perfectly efficient HVAC system, but you will still spend more on energy bills if heat is escaping your house. When there are air leaks in your home, your furnace or boiler needs to cycle more often. As a result, you use more fuel.

A good starting point to plug these leaks is to apply weather stripping. Check windows and doorframes for drafts and add weather stripping where you feel cold air.

It’s also a good idea to inspect potentially-uninsulated areas where heat commonly escapes. These include:

• attics
• floors
• crawl spaces
• unfinished basements

Just because you live in a new home does not mean that it can’t use extra insulation. Be sure to add insulation with a high R-value (the measurement for heat flow reduction). According to the United States Department of Energy, insulating your home effectively can save you up to 20% on heating and cooling costs.

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

Looking for a simple, set-it-and-forget-it way to save serious money on heating?

On average, homeowners can save 10% on heating costs by dropping the temperature in their homes only 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day. With a programmable thermostat, you can schedule these temperature reductions once. The only time you’ll need to think about them again is when you open your energy bill and see the money you’ve saved!

Get Your Heating System a Tune-up

It’s wise to have your heating system’s equipment serviced by a qualified HVAC professional each year. A professional tune-up may save you money since well-functioning furnaces and boilers use less fuel. Plus, when your service technician catches a minor issue with your system, that prevents it from becoming a pricy repair down the line.

Need one more reason to schedule a tune-up? Most appliance warranties require you to arrange annual service to maintain coverage. If you skip service, you could be on the hook for the total cost of repairs later.

Since 1945, Q-Dog has helped homeowners throughout Southern Maryland heat their homes with propane and fuel oil. If you’re looking for a committed, dependable home energy partner, contact us today!