With most of the country in the throes of winter, heating our homes has become a very sore subject. As our heating bills go up, our wallets start to drain. We're left wondering if there are ways to keep our homes and families nice and toasty through the winter that don't completely drain our finances. It's possible that you're considering things like having furnace repair done in order to make it more efficient.
Or perhaps you might hire a heating or HVAC contractor to help you address any potential issues you have heating our home. These are both good ideas. However, in addition to those steps, there are a few little things you can do to help save a little bit in the meantime. Some of these steps include insulating your windows with heavy drapes, using passive solar heat to keep your home warm while the sun is out, and keeping drafts to a minimum by caulking your outside doors and windows.
If you are trying to choose between an electric or gas furnace, you might be surprised to know that, for the most part, gas furnaces are far more affordable than electric ones. Electric heating costs about 70% more than if you were to heat the same area with gas heating, provided your particular furnace is at an 80% rate of efficiency. That's quite a difference! However, even though gas heating is cheaper, you can find ways to cut down on even those costs.
For example, small electric space heaters or electric fireplaces are a great way to top up the heat in specific rooms that you're only in for a short period of time. Keep the common and well-populated areas of the house moderately heated with economical central furnace heat during the day. Then, in the evening, switch on the romantic electric fireplace to intermittently heat up the living room or den where you are relaxing in the evening. It's a win-win situation that will keep your home warm and your budget reasonable.
In the event you're contemplating using this particular method of supplementing your current central furnace system with ceramic heaters and the like, but are concerned about safety, don't worry. Rest assured that, provided you follow the instructions in the manual, and keep your space heater at least three feet away from any other objects, you won't have any problems. Besides, if you want to use the space heaters to save money, they'll probably be in the rooms where you are, so you can keep a close eye on them. Due to their portability, they're also quite convenient.
There are many ways that you can find to reduce your heating bill. Using space heaters and these attractive new electric fireplaces to heat rooms as you use them are two good solutions. However, if you really want to maximize long-term savings to your heating bill, hire a quality HVAC contractor who will conduct a furnace audit and repair. These helpful folks can help you pick just the right kind of heating that will keep your family warm and snug.