Reasons for Unexpected Hikes in Your Heating Bill

You may have received your last heating bill and been shocked by how high it is. As far as you know, you haven’t cranked up the heat that much even though the winter has been unusually brutal. Here are some reasons why your utility costs are suddenly sky high.

The Winter Really Was Much Colder

One reason your bill is higher than usual is that this winter was colder than average. When the temperatures plunged into the single digits, you turned up the heat without thinking about it.

Leaking Ducts

Another thing that causes heating bills to spike is leaking ducts. Leaking ducts allow warm air that should come into your rooms to escape. Because of this, you need to crank up the thermostat for your home to be comfortable.

No Insulation or Bad Insulation

If your home lacks insulation or the insulation is poor, the warm air from your HVAC system also escapes. To compensate, you either turn up your thermostat or have your heating system run longer than it usually would to keep your household comfortable.

Your Heating System Is Old

An old heating system is just not as efficient as a new one. The older your system, the harder it has to work to keep your home warm.

Putting Off Maintenance

Ideally, you should have your HVAC system checked before the heating season begins. If you keep putting off maintenance visits, small problems that could have been easily fixed become much larger. Eventually, they degrade the efficiency of your system, which leads to higher bills.

Someone Turned Up the Thermostat

Turning up the thermostat even a little bit can spike your heating bill. You may have turned it up during one of those single-digit nights. Then, someone else in your household may have turned it up during the day without your knowledge.

You Need to Change Your Filters

Filters that are allowed to become clogged with dirt and dust cause your HVAC system to work harder than it should. Indeed, dirty filters might cause the system to fail well before its expected lifespan. On top of that, they cause your heating bills to spike even as nothing else about your HVAC system and how you use it changes. Make sure to change or clean the air filters regularly.

Experts can help you get to the bottom of why your heating bill might spike unexpectedly. If you have questions about your system or need heating service, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our HVAC technicians of Blaze Air in Wilmington, Greensboro, and Zebulon, North Carolina.