Common Heating Mistakes Homeowners Make In The Winter
During winter in Houston, the days tend to be warm enough that no heating is required to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors. On the other hand, nights can be chilly after the sun sets, so you are not likely to think about how much turning on the heat will cost – you simply want your heating system to work. Unfortunately, your heating system could be costing more than you realize if you are not aware of the steps you could be taking to save energy. There are some common heating mistakes that you may be making while keeping your home warm during winter, so you should take care to keep your heating system working efficiently so your home can be warm without unnecessary costs.
Do Not Turn Your Thermostat All the Way Up At One Time
When your heating system has been turned off for a considerable length of time, you may think of turning it up to a high temperature will heat your home quickly. While this will work, this puts to much stress on your heating system which will reduce its efficiency. This will lead to excess energy use since the unit is not running at top efficiency, and your energy bills will go up. It is much better to turn your thermostat up gradually to reduce the stress on the unit.
Do Not Close Your Curtains During The Day
While the nighttime temperatures in Houston can drop to 40 degrees, there is usually enough sunlight during the day that you will not need to turn up the heat. In addition, if your home is kept relatively warm during the day your furnace will not need to work very hard when you do turn it on after sunset.
Avoid Using Space Heaters
Some people who live in a relatively mild climate such as Houston make the mistake of running space heaters in an attempt to save money. This may work in some cases such as heating a small room like a kitchen or bedroom, but running several at once to heat the whole house can be expensive. Space heaters are high-energy appliances, so they really are not very efficient at heating from a cost perspective. There is also the very real concern that space heaters can be dangerous if not carefully monitored and house fires often are the disastrous result, so the use of space heaters should be avoided if at all possible.
Do Not Close Unused Vents
You may be tempted to close the heat vents located in rooms that are not used very often. It would seem logical that the heat will then be directed to the open vents and provide more heat to those locations. The ducts in most systems are specifically sized to provide heated air to every part of the home, so changing this balance could possibly increase the stress on your heating system. This could eventually reduce the efficiency and longevity of your heating system, so make sure you have all the vents in your home open.
Do Not Depend Entirely On Your Heating System
The heating system in your home is built to be powerful and efficient, but it cannot compensate for certain problems within your home. If you find it difficult to maintain a temperature above 68 degrees even though your thermostat is set at 70, the problem may not be with your heater. A home that has air leaks will be drafty and chilly even though the heating unit is working properly. Make sure you check around your windows and doors to detect any minute cracks or leaks where cold air could be entering.
Do Not Neglect Regular Heating System Maintenance
Too many times people are under the impression that their system is working fine so long as its heating their home. It is very important to have your system checked annually (ideally in the Fall) to make sure there are no unknown issues that could cause problems once cold weather arrives. Even if the unit does continue to produce all the heating necessary, it could be running less efficiently than possible and using more energy which will end up costing more in heating costs.
AC Man is a professional HVAC repair company in Houston, TX. We offer both commercial and residential HVAC services. Give us a call today to speak with a professional HVAC repair technician, or check our services.