Southern Ontario sees a mix of temperatures during the Fall—everything from days in 20 degree range, to days just above the freezing mark. With the changes in the air temperatures and seasons, it’s important to keep your home energy efficient to mirror these changes, saving energy and money spent on HVAC and allowing you to enjoy your home comfortably. Let’s take a look at some ways you can save energy in your home through your HVAC this Fall.
Do An Audit Of Your Home
Before you begin saving, you need to examine where you consume the most energy and use the most resources in your home. One way is to take a look at your monthly utility bills to see how much you are spending and on what—whether it is on heating, gas, electricity, water, etc. This will give you an idea of the numbers you are working with and where you can ideally cut the numbers down.
During the colder months, Ontarians see higher heating bills in comparison to places where climates are more stable year round. The higher heating bills between Fall and Winter are not only because heating systems are in use, but because there are underlying problems that cause more use and energy from a heating system.
Windows and Doors
For example, if your windows haven’t been replaced in a while, you can be losing heat through your window. When a problem like this is left unresolved, homeowners find themselves cranking up the heat to compensate for the loss of warm air. Sometimes, owners may not even realize it’s the window that’s the problem and begin worrying about their HVAC system.
First thing to reduce your heating costs and save on energy is to check where heat can be escaping. Like windows, chimneys and front doors can be a place that heat escapes. Make sure that these areas are properly sealed and vented so that the warmth stays in. If it is in the budget, replace your windows and have your front door and chimney properly sealed before the cooler weather hits. But if you’re in a pinch and need to save, seal some duty plastic sheets around the frames. This will act as another insulation barrier until you can replace your windows or until there is warmer weather. You can also install heavy drapes around the windows that help to keep in warmth and insulate the window area.
Thermostat and Heat Settings
Another way to reduce your heating costs and save on energy is by reducing the temperature of your home when heating isn’t needed. A majority of Mississauga’s residents are out working during the day, leaving their homes heated at the same temperature as they would if they were home all day. To save on heating here, it’s important to have a thermostat that you can program on a schedule, allowing you to keep the heat running when you actually need it, and turning it off when it’s not necessary. Wifi Thermostats allow the user to program and change their thermostat settings from the touch of a phone. With new innovations like the NEST thermostat, it can even set your home into Eco Temperature mode. In this mode, the NEST uses sensors and your phone to determine when you aren’t home.
Check Your Air Ducts and Your Heating System
Last, but certainly not least, get to the root of your heating system. Make sure that the heating system you have is an Energy Star rated appliance to get the best return of energy for the least amount of money. Having an Energy Star heating system that is properly fitted to your home will also save you on the cost of heating your home—because if your current one is too small, it’s working overtime and won’t produce the results you need.
Also, be sure to get your air ducts checked by an HVAC professional. They will be able to check if there are any openings in the air ducts that are causing you to lose heat.
For help with your home heating system and to solve heating problems, please contact an Applewood Air expert.
