Home Heating in Skagit County, WA | Kitchener ON

Have you noticed an increase in your costs for home heating in Skagit County, WA? Having a warm home in the fall and winter can make your home a nice comfortable place to relax in, but it’s not so nice when that warmth comes at a high price. Whether your power bill is creeping up or you just want to prevent high heating bills, it’s a good idea to make sure your home is prepared. Below are our tips for how to prevent high heating bills in your Skagit County home.

Our tips for preventing high heating bills

1. Insulate your home
2. Seal doors and windows
3. Replace your furnace
4. Turn down the thermostat
5. Change your furnace filters
6. Keep your vents clear
7. Seal ducts
8. Get a maintenance checkup

1. Insulate your home

Insulation is important in your home year-round. It will help keep your home cool when you want it, and it will also help you keep it warm when temperatures start to drop. Insulation is good news when it comes to your power bill.

On the other hand, poor insulation will make it difficult to keep heat in your home. If your system is working all day trying to heat your home but not getting warmer, your home may be poorly insulated. Ensure your home is all set year-round by making sure it has proper and sufficient insulation.

2. Seal doors and windows

Just as heat escapes through poor insulation, it can also escape through your windows and doors. Warm air can escape through cracks and other gaps. Carefully check the trim around your doors and windows. If needed, use weather stripping to seal cracks to help keep heat inside.

3. Replace your furnace

Another way to maintain proper home heating in Skagit County, WA is to keep an eye on the furnace itself. Your average furnace has a lifespan of about 25 years. If your unit is old, it may be time to look for a replacement. Replacing your furnace is a large upfront cost, but getting a newer unit with greater efficiency will reduce your energy consumption in the long run.

4. Turn down the thermostat

A toasty home is nice, but does it really need to be a sauna? When you lower your thermostat by just a few degrees, the savings will add up. You can save money by lowering your thermostat and throwing on a sweater, hoodie, or your favorite fuzzy socks. A programmable thermostat can also be handy for this since you can set the temperature to be lower when you’re not home.

5. Change your furnace filters

A dirty filter makes your furnace work harder, leading to an increase in costs. Keep an eye on your filters and make sure to replace them with a clean filter when needed. As a general rule, you should replace your filter every one to three months.

6. Keep your vents clear

If your vents are blocked, they can’t deliver warm air throughout your home. Make sure your vents are free from obstructions. Check to make sure couches and other furniture are out of the way so your system doesn’t work harder and increases your heating costs.

7. Seal ducts

Ducts can get small leaks over time. Those small leaks will allow heated air to escape, resulting in higher costs for heating. You can fix these leaks yourself with metallic tape. The tape should be found at any home improvement store and sealing these yourself is a quick and easy way to prevent heat from escaping. Are you having bigger duct problems? Read more here: Am I In Need of Professional Duct Sealing?

8. Get a maintenance checkup

Regular maintenance will keep your system running smoothly, which will save you money on your heating bills. A professional HVAC technician at GS Heating Cooling & Electrical can make sure your heating system is in great shape and can also take care of any repairs that may arise.

Conclusion

Nobody wants their costs for home heating in Skagit County, WA to skyrocket. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to keep costs down, and many of them you can do yourself. If you’re still concerned about high heating bills, contact GS Heating Cooling & Electrical. We can inspect or repair your unit, or even install a new unit if needed. No matter how simple or complex, we can tackle any heating problem.