At JD’s AC, we know the struggle of electricity usage for our East Texas residents, and we want to help you keep your costs low. Keeping your home warm during the frigid winter months shouldn’t leave your wallet scarce. With Winter approaching, many East Texans are just now thinking about starting up their furnaces and central heating systems. And while we all enjoy a toasty home, we don’t always enjoy the inflation in our electric bills. Especially as holidays approach. JD’s wants to help by providing you with some of our tried and true methods to keep your heating bills down this winter season. 

• Seal air leaks 

Did you know that air leaks are responsible for an average of 25%-40% of your energy bill usage? That’s a good portion of your cash literally flying out the window every month! Checking your weather stripping and replacing worn stripping around your windows, doors, and light fixtures could save you tons of money! 

If you aren’t sure how to replace your weatherstripping or are overwhelmed with where to start, just hop on Youtube! There are plenty of DIY home projects that can help guide you through this simple, fun, and money-saving trick! 

• Leave your curtains open

Natural sunlight is wonderful for keeping your room warm. During the summer months, while we often recommend keeping them closed for the opposite reason, it’s highly encouraged to leave them open during the winter! Once the sun goes down, close them back up to keep the cold night air at bay. 

• Dress for the season and grab your blankets

Grab your favorite pair of sweatpants, your hoodie, and tube socks, it’s wintertime! One of the best ways to stay warm inside without cranking your central heating system to 90 is to compensate with warmer attire and comfy blankets. Changing out the fabric of sheets you are using from cotton to flannel is another simple and easy way to keep you warm at night.  

• Check your air filter 

We know, you feel like we say this all the time, and we do! Checking your air filter can play a vital role in keeping your HVAC system running smoothly. When your filter is overfull, dirty air is unable to easily pass through it, causing your unit to work twice as hard to push through your warm air. This extra pressure from output will cause your energy bill to rise and your central heating system struggles to work harder to get the warm air where it needs to go.  A simple check once a month will let you know when and how often you need to replace your filter. 

Pro tip! Date your filters when you change them. Also, pleated air filters are more likely to filter and catch small particles that can easily clog your system. 

• Keep all doors closed

If you aren’t using a room, close the door. Closing the door to rooms you are not residing in will help keep the rest of your home nice and toasty. By letting warm air out of a room, your central heating system signals to produce more air to compensate for what is being lost. Closing the doors gives your system a chance to rest, thus keeping your bills lower in the long run. 

• Inspect your insulation

Inside your attic is the insulation that helps keep cold air from the outside from coming inside. Insulation plays a big role in keeping your home comfortable all year long, however in the winter it helps by keeping cold air out, and the warm air from your furnace in. But for many East Texas residents, are unaware that insulation does have a lifespan. If you have recently moved into a new home, or can’t remember the last time you had new insulation installed, give us a call! We can send a certified HVAC professional up to take a look and provide you with the best recommendations for your home. 

• Turn down your thermostat 

A simple way to decrease energy consumption is to lower your thermostat. While it may sound a little counterintuitive, hear us out. According to energy.gov, the most energy-efficient thermostat setting is 68 degrees. While that may sound chilly, especially during the colder months your furnace will be blowing air at a 68-degree level, not your AC system. 

Your furnace is only able to heat a specific amount of air at a time, depending on the size of your home and the size of your unit. 

• If you have a fireplace, use it! 

It’s winter, and there is something special about a nice fire on a cold winter day. If your home is equipped with a fireplace, not only are you lucky, but you could save even more money! 

Pro tip! While you’re not running your fireplace, keep your damper inside your chimney closed. As warm air can easily escape and get lost. While you are running your fireplace, keeping your damper open is essential to prevent smoke from filling up your home. 

• Use your oven 

Sounds old school right? But it works! One of our personal favorite ways to generate heat in the winter is to cook up something delicious! Cooking with your stove can act as an alternative or extra heat source. 

Pro tip! Like grandma used to, leave that oven door open! As long as you don’t have small children running around, leaving your oven door open while it is on is a great way to extend heat to other parts of the house when needed. 

• Schedule a furnace tune-up appointment

One of the best ways that you can prepare yourself for the winter months (as well as your central heating system) is to schedule a furnace tune-up! During a tune-up, our certified HVAC technician will inspect every part of your furnace to ensure that it is in tip-top condition and working order. During this inspection, our technician will test all parts of your furnace and let you know if there’s anything that will need to be repaired, or replaced. 

Not only are tune-ups good for your furnace, but they are also good all year round to ensure the longevity of your HVAC system as a whole unit. 

To learn more about how to keep your heating bills down this winter, or to schedule a tune-up, give us a call or book an appointment online with us! We look forward to serving you. JD’s AC is proud to serve those within our East Texas community with quality HVAC service.