Before you get too carried away, remember that we’re just your friendly, neighborhood HVAC contractor. While we can’t necessarily help you pay your high heating bills, we can try to explain why those bills are so high and some solutions to mitigate the problem going forward!
The major problem with living in our neck of the woods is that heating in Cherry Hill, NJ can get pretty expensive during the dead of winter. That means we need to be a little bit more prepared for heating solutions than our friends or relatives in other areas of the country. Poor planning and neglecting our heating systems means that we’ll be saddled with higher bills than we’re ready to pay for.
So, let’s talk about what you can do to lessen the burden of high heating bills, and how you can possibly avoid them all together come next year.
The Cause of High Heating Bills
Firstly, we’d like to address the “why” behind a high heating bill. Your heating bill is created by three major factors—the fuel price, the efficiency and health of your heater, and the temperature your thermostat is set for. When you combine these three factors, you can get a pretty good idea of how high your heating bill will be and what kinds of changes you can make to lower it. Let’s take each of these factors, one at a time.
Fuel Price
When installing a heater for your home, the fuel type is an important piece of the equation. For instance, furnaces that run on natural gas are both affordable to install and affordable to run, no matter how cold it gets during the winter. If you’ve got an electric furnace, you might pay less in initial costs, but an electric heater is going to have a lot of trouble staying efficient on those extremely cold days.
Pay close attention to the fuel source and price in your area. If you’re not happy with the type of fuel your heater runs on, then perhaps its time for a switch!
Heater Health and Efficiency
This is a big part of your heating bill because an ancient heater will not only incur plenty of repairs in its old age, but it will also heat your home at a much higher cost due to inefficiency. A good way to gauge whether or not your system is inefficient, is to schedule a routine maintenance tune-up. A professional technician will easily be able to tell if your heater isn’t up to efficiency standards, or if there are any imminent repairs that will cost money.
Thermostat Calibration
If your heater is old, running inefficiently, or you’re unhappy with the type of heater you’ve got right now—then consider turning it down a few degrees. We understand that not everyone is in the position to invest in a heater replacement right this second, but the higher your thermostat is set, the harder your heater has to work and the more fuel it has to consume. Consider lighting your fireplace or using blankets until your heater can be serviced.
Think a tune-up could help lower your heating bills? Contact our team at Ambient Comfort today!