10 HVAC Hacks to Save You Some Green This Winter

It can be weird to think ahead to colder days with the crisp autumn air only just arriving, but now is a great time to plan for the upcoming winter. You probably want to make the most out of your heating budget this year, which is why we have 10 tips to help keep your home cozy and warm.

1. Have your HVAC unit tested and serviced.
   This is a big one. You can’t heat your home efficiently if your HVAC system isn’t in good condition. Now is the perfect time to call up an HVAC technician to take a look at your heater and make sure it’s up to the task of chasing out the winter chill.
2. Seal up any cracks or leaks around the house.
   Grab a caulking gun, because you might need to take a closer look at the draftiest rooms in your home, especially if your place is older. There might be cracks and gaps, especially around the frames. The tighter each room is sealed, the less likely you’ll be wasting warm air.
3. Utilize your curtains and blinds.
   Nothing heats quite like the sun, so harness that warmth with your curtains and blinds. When the sun is up, and especially when it’s shining through your windows, keep your curtains and blinds wide open. Once that sun is down, though, close them to trap in all the heat you captured during the day.
4. Insulate your windows.
   Glass doesn’t hold heat well, so windows are one of the biggest places where we lose heat during the winter. But you don’t have to seal them with trash bags and lose out on the view and natural light to save a few bucks on your heating bill. Applying window insulation film from your local hardware store can be a quick and easy way to keep warm air in.
5. Upgrade your thermostat.
   Now is a good time to talk to your local HVAC technician about upgrading your thermostat to either a smart thermostat or one that’s programmable. Odds are there are certain times of the day when you don’t need the heat up as high—maybe because you’re at work or when you’re sleeping at night. An upgraded thermostat lets you set programs and adjust the temperature in your home in a cost-saving way.
6. Weatherstrip your windows and doors.
   Weatherstrips are vinyl and foam tape that can be applied to the bottoms of your windows or all around your doors to help super-seal out the cold air. It makes for a tighter fit to save your home from drafts and leaks.
7. Insulate your outlets.
   You might not think about your outlets and light switches as a big area for heat loss, but more air might be escaping through all these little spots than you realize. Installing foam insulation pads from your local hardware store around these sockets can help keep your heat in the home.
8. Improve your fireplace efficiency.
   The roar of a crackling fire has a lot of appeal, but fireplaces can also be big energy drains. If you don’t use yours very much, sealing it up with insulating plastic might be the way to go. But if you still want to have a fire now and then, then you should check to make sure your damper is in good shape. Also, installing a fireback plate against the back of your fireplace can help reflect the heat back into your house.
9. Reverse your ceiling fans.
   Yup, we’re talking about ceiling fans—the things you probably mostly use to cool off in the heat of summer. But while normally ceiling fans are set on a rotation that pushes air down, most of them also have a reverse setting that will pull air up to redistribute throughout the room. This can help even out the temperature in your home.
10. Try zone heating.
    If there are rooms or areas of the house that you don’t use as much, you might consider sealing these off. Close the vents and seal around the doors so that your heater has less square footage to keep warm.

About Centura College

If you’re interested in learning more about heating, cooling, and air conditioning systems, it might be time to consider building a career in HVAC at Centura College. Centura College has been part of an organization dedicated to helping men and women develop careers since 1969. By training working adults in healthcare, technology, business, and trades, they connect communities with some of the fastest growing career fields in today’s marketplace. The school offers professional facilities, knowledgeable instructors, day or evening classes, job placement assistance and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). To learn more, visit www.CenturaCollege.edu or like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/centura.edu.