Avoid these common mistakes and save money this winter.

With record-low temperatures in Hampton Roads, the need for comfort is on the rise. If you’re scrambling to come up with ways to stay warm in your home, read the below to make sure you are not making any of these mistakes.

Closing vents in unused rooms to increase heat in other areas.

Closed vents actually make your furnace work harder due to the increase in pressure. They also make the duct system more restrictive. Similarly, when you close an interior door, you block the path for air to efficiently move through your home. Doing either of these will not save you any money and negatively affect the comfort of your home. To get the most out of your HVAC system, keep your vents and interior doors open.

Setting the thermostat high to heat the home faster.

Thermostats don’t work like an accelerator on a car. Their sole job is to maintain the desired temperature regardless of what is happening outside. Turning up the heat too much can make you uncomfortably warm and increase your energy costs. Your furnace is sized for expected weather conditions, so it may be short of the set temperature in extreme temperatures. Don’t make a rash decision! Be patient and save money.

Turning off your heat at night to reduce energy costs.

There’s a major benefit to adjusting the temperature in your home, but not to the extreme of shutting it completely off at night. You spend the energy you save to reheat the whole house in the morning. By simply reducing the temperature at night or for long periods of time when the home is vacant, you save a considerable amount in energy costs. We recommend investing in a programmable thermostat so it can adjust the temperature automatically for you.

Using space heaters to heat more than one room.

According to the Department of Energy, space heaters “can be less expensive to use if you only want to heat one room or supplement inadequate heating in one room.” So it might make sense to turn down the thermostat and use a space heater to just heat one small area. But if you find yourself depending on them and using them throughout your home, there may be a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.

Skipping annual maintenance to save money.

Your heating and air conditioning system consists of nearly half of your home’s energy use. Investing in a system ReJUVenation is a much better option than being inconvenienced with a needed repair. With average repair costs being around $280, you save more money in the long-run with maintenance service performed on an annual or seasonal basis. Our work is GUARANTEED as well – so you can’t lose!

Don’t forget – dirty filters can dramatically reduce the efficiency of your furnace too. If you change the filter (and confirmed you’re not doing any of the above), but still are not comfortable, call our team today at (757) 656-3023.