1. Lower your thermostat
What’s the best temperature to set your thermostat to? It’s almost certainly not the highest setting. Just because you can heat the inside of your home to 90°F doesn’t mean you should; aside from the high energy cost, this will overtax your heater and could cause it to break down. According to the US Department of Energy, homeowners can save 18% on their energy costs if they lower their thermostats 5° to 10° for 8 hours a day. This isn’t difficult: 68° is sufficient heat for comfort with an extra layer of clothes. When you’re asleep, lower the thermostat to 58° and pull up an extra blanket.
2. Seal heat leaks
The construction of modern homes aims to make them heat seals, so excess heat doesn’t get in during the spring and summer, and vital heat doesn’t escape during the fall and winter. But this seal isn’t perfect, and gaps around doors and windows, or insufficient insulation, will drain away this precious heat and make your heating system labor harder to compensate. Install storm windows to reduce heat loss, caulk your windows, and put weather stripping around the outside doors to keep as much heat as you can inside your home.
3. Schedule regular maintenance for your heater
Having a professional give your heater a check-up and tune-up is an excellent way to make sure it performs well without draining extra power during the fall. The technician will tighten connections and clean the system so it performs efficiently. Preventive maintenance will also reduce the wear and tear on your system so it won’t age as fast and will continue to perform at its best throughout the fall and into the winter.