Due to reduced supply and increasing demand, home heating bills are expected to rise in all parts of the country. The expected increase ranges from 20 to 30 percent in some areas to over 70 percent in others. There is not much you can do about the cost of natural gas, electricity, or oil, but you can control some of your usage. One of the best tools you can use is your home thermostat. Keep these tips in mind this winter to keep your home heating bills as low as possible.
- If you are planning on being away from home for more than an hour, turn your thermostat down to 55 degrees F. Do not set it lower than this, as you will risk freezing your water pipes, causing them to burst.
- Gradually decrease the setting of your thermostat when you are at home. If your family is used to a high setting, decrease it by one degree every week until you reach around 68 degrees. You will find that it takes very little time to feel accustomed to the new temperature as normal. You can save up to three percent of your fuel usage for each degree you turn down your thermostat, as long as it is kept at that temperature for at least eight hours.
- At night, set your thermostat down five or ten degrees. If you have a programmable thermostat, it is easy to set it to go down at night and to heat up just before your family rises for the day. Many people believe that it takes more energy to heat up a cooler house than to keep it at a steady temperature all night long. However, you save money and fuel by dropping the temperature because your heating system does not have to run all night long. There is less energy used warming up a cool house than keeping it warm for the entire night.
- If you heat with electricity, consider installing thermostats in individual rooms of your home. That way, you can turn down the heat in seldom used rooms. Just be sure to shut the doors to these rooms.
- In special circumstances, remember to adjust your thermostat accordingly. If you are entertaining, turn the thermostat down, as each guest is the equivalent of a 175-watt heater. If the weather begins to warm up, and you open doors and windows, remember to turn down your thermostat, so that you are not cooling and heating your home at the same time.
- Finally, if you live in a very dry climate, consider using a home humidifier. Dry air feels cooler to the skin than moist air. This is because evaporating moisture on your skin causes a cooling effect. The drier the air, the more moisture is drawn from your body, causing you to feel cooler. A ten percent increase in relative humidity can make the air feel up to one degree warmer, without an increase in your heating bill.
Oxford at The Boulevard Apartments in Corinth, Texas goes above and beyond to improve your daily lifestyle with our spacious floor plans, unparalleled amenities, and incomparable customer service. We hope these tips will inform, educate, and ultimately, provide you with a better way-of-life.