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For residents across much of the United States, the arrival of winter often means the arrival of higher utility bills as the heating season begins. In more than half of these homes, according to information supplied by the American Gas Association, the main heating appliance is fueled by gas. If you enjoy the warmth and comfort of gas heat, but would like to improve the efficiency of your heating system while paring down the bill, the following tips can help.
Invest In a Programmable Thermostat
If you have been holding out on investing in a good programmable thermostat for your gas furnace, statistics show that using these devices can help improve the efficiency of your gas furnace. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using a programmable thermostat to reduce the home's temperature by just seven to ten degrees for as little as eight hours per day can slash annual heating (and cooling) costs by as much as ten percent. To maximize this potential, consider programming the thermostat based on your family's schedule so that it will lower the temperature in the home whenever family members are scheduled to be at work or school and again at night, while they are sleeping.
Minimize the Heat Loss
Heating air and then letting it escape the envelope of the home wastes heating fuel and increases monthly heating bills. Homeowners who want to cut heating bills can minimize this heat loss by choosing to make major upgrades to their home such as installing insulation with higher R-values or replacing their current heating system with a newer, more efficient model. Even if there is no room in the budget for this type of upgrade, home owners can still make small, less expensive improvements that really add up, such as:
A Clean System is an Efficient System
Keeping heating components clean and dust-free helps them run at higher levels of efficiency, reducing the amount of expensive fuel they consume. Homeowners should utilize a regular cleaning regimen for their furnaces that includes frequent filter changes. In addition, ensuring that your furnace is serviced regularly by a competent heating repair service is also important for maintaining the highest level of efficiency and realizing maximum savings on your heating bills. Click here for information on heating repair.
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