Lower heating Bills: Things You Can Do Now

Today's bad economy is the biggest reason of all to save every dollar you can. Every month we all get a jolt of bad news when heating bills arrive in the mail box. But don't get discouraged. New, energy efficient heat pumps and high AFUE furnaces, federal tax credits, utility company rebates and preseason checkups can lower these heating costs just when you need it most.

Heating your home is a necessity and a recurring bill that will never go away so reducing it as much as possible is the only logical solution. Most people are shocked to find out that they can save more money by upgrading their furnace or heat pump than by upgrading their air conditioner.

Home heat pumps are great alternatives to traditional furnace and air conditioning units mainly because of the fact that they perform the heating and cooling for the house. They work in the summer as a regular a/c unit would. In the winter, a valve reverses the flow of refrigerant and the equipment extracts heat from the outside cold air and pumps it into your home or business. And it does this for less than the cost of "creating" heat by burning natural gas.

Trane, Carrier, Bryant, Goodman, Amana, York, Westinghoouse and American Standard are just a few of the reputable manufacturers available to the U.S. consumer. These companies have a variety of sizes, efficiency levels and price ranges to fit your needs.

Call You Local A/C and heating Contractor and Get a Preseason Checkup

Another great way to increase your energy savings is to make sure your home heating system is maintained and serviced by a licensed professional every season. You will find the cost is minimal, usually under $100. The benefits far exceed this small expenditure.

Changing the air filters can increase air flow allowing your system to work less and properly filter the air coming in and out of the system. Most a/c contractors offer this as a monthly or quarterly service, because we all forget to take care of this. Regular seasonal checkups will ensure your system operates properly and safely all year long, and will help avoid those emergency repairs and service that cost much more in time and inconvenience.

Install a Whole House Humidifier to lower Energy Consumption and Increase Comfort

Controlling the home's humidity level is also a great way to lower your heating bills. A quality humidifier can make a monumental difference by making the house feel warmer or cooler without having to adjust the heat output, allowing you to maintain a consistent load on the appliance.

Energy Savings Tax Credits and Utility Company Rebates

Your furnace may be working as good as a ten year old unit can possibly operate, but because newer models are far more energy efficient you should upgrade now. the savings over the next few heating seasons will pay back the outlay. When you add on the tax credit and rebates many utility companies are offering and the payback period can be as litte as a couple of years..

Some of the more common trends include the above mentioned home heating pumps and humidifiers, natural gas and LP gas, newer energy efficiency furnaces and filters, dual fuel systems, and don't forget that preseason checkup. The best fit for your particular situation can be best a well trained a/c and heating technician.