The thought of winter heating bills is enough to send a shiver up your spine, in addition to the one caused by the chilly air! The good news is that there are many steps you can take to “winterize” your house and help keep your heating costs in check! However, even though your blood might not be circulating, myths about energy cost savings are.

Here are some of the popular ones, and why they are flat-out false:

Boost the thermostat to boost the heat.

Contrary to popular belief, your living space does not get warmer faster if you turn the heat way up. The thermostat does not crank out hotter air in this case the more you turn it up, it just runs for much longer than necessary. If you’re trying to get to that 68-degree sweet spot, turn the thermostat to 68 degrees, not 80! This way, your furnace is not wasting energy by running after the target temperature is reached. Then you won’t have to remember to re-adjust the thermostat and you won’t be paying extra!

Wood fireplaces are cheap and efficient!

Although we wish it were true, for nostalgia and satisfaction’s sake, this is another winterizing myth. As much fun as it is to sit around a fire and stay warm on a winter evening, traditional fireplaces aren’t very efficient at heating an entire living space. Most of the hot air is funneled up the chimney and into the frigid night. If you want to explore the wood-burning route, there are newer, more efficient freestanding stoves certified by the EPA that can save furnace use. Having cheap (or free!) source of firewood doesn’t hurt either.

Space heaters can save a lot of money.

The truth is that space heaters are far less efficient than traditional heating methods. They simply cannot adequately heat a space a well as a furnace or boiler. This is especially true if your furnace runs on gas or propane; electricity is more expensive than gas, which means costs can be amplified in the winter months.

There are instances where a space heater can save money, though. One of which includes using a space heater in smaller rooms and lowering the thermostat for the rest of the house. If you’re using them in larger spaces, then it’s more efficient to keep your thermostat at a normal temperature.

Winterizing my house is too expensive!

While upgrading the heat retaining ability of your home can certainly take a dent out of your wallet, not every winterizing step has to be detrimental to your finances.

For instance, insulating window wraps and rubber door sealers are cheap, effective ways to stop chilling drafts from blowing through your home. You or a friendly handyman can take a caulking gun to seal up any holes in your siding or roof. Heavy curtains over larger windows can keep cold air from reaching your toes, too! For more ideas and energy-saving tips, visit the EPA’s website. Be proactive in guarding your energy bill this winter and you’ll be pleased with the results!

Most people think to call their local HVAC experts when their furnace stops working, starts making noises, or leaks water. How about unusual smells? That new, funny odor in your basement could be a sign that something is going wrong inside the mechanical workings of your furnace. Here are some fragrances to which you shouldn’t turn up your nose:

 

Sulfur, or Rotten Eggs

It’s one of those smells that you can pinpoint immediately, and usually as a red flag. Whether your eggs are actually rotting in the fridge or worse, it’s never followed by good news. Many gas companies add this smell to their gas intentionally so that homeowners notice immediately and call a technician. If you believe that this smell is coming from your HVAC system, shut off all gas appliances and open all the windows to help disperse the gass. Call a heating and cooling technician as fast as possible to notify them of a potential gas leak.

 

Moldy, or Damp

Air conditioning systems can collect moisture throughout the summer months, which can fester in your ducts and vents, producing mold buildup within your house. If you smell this musty scent when you turn on your heat or AC, call a Top Notch service technician to check for possible mold development. We’ll thoroughly check your duct system for mold and mildew and can eliminate any problem areas. Your lungs and nose will thank you when your household air is back to being fresh and clear.

 

Burning, or Smoldering

If you pick up a burning odor near your heating and air conditioning system, there’s a chance that something could be, well, burning. This should demand your immediate attention and action. If the smell seems to be coming from your furnace, it could be mean that something is overheating as a result of mechanical or structural problems. For example, the wiring may be faulty or the cooling mechanism is broken. Take cautionary steps to ensure safety:  shut off the unit immediately and contact a professional to evaluate the unit and provide an accurate report on what is going wrong.

By all standards, last winter was very mild. The almanacs predicted colder temperatures this year, but so far it’s not too different from 2016. However, fuel prices are projected to be at historic lows this year, meaning your energy savings could be much higher than anticipated. If these projections hold true, many homeowners will experience big-time savings on their home heating bills. Depending on how much you have budgeted to cover your heating costs, a large chunk of that may still be available come spring. While you may be tempted to invest that money into a spring cleaning project or a summer vacation, consider investing in your home’s energy efficiency instead.

 

“Nothing gold can stay”

Next year is a big maybe, which means you can’t count on natural gas prices to remain this low long-term. Just like any other commodity, natural gas prices are volatile. Additionally, next winter has the opportunity to be drastically different from previous years, which means that there is no way to guarantee another year of savings.

With a presumed surplus of cash, a smart homeowner can begin taking steps to improve their home’s energy efficiency, which can translate to lower heating costs in the future, regardless of gas or electric prices. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• With your extra budget money, upgrade the insulation in your walls and crawl spaces, so that your hard-earned heated air can stay inside the house for you to enjoy. In terms of scale of investment, insulation is rather modest.
• Upgrade to a programmable thermostat, one that lets you adjust the temperature at all times of the day with the push of a few buttons. For maximum savings, the EPA recommends lowering your thermostat at night and during the day when nobody may be active in the house. With a new thermostat, you have control over every degree and can cut costs up to 10% annually.
• Install a heat pump. Heat pumps are a 100% gas and oil-free ventilation system that pulls heat from the cold air and cycles it through your home, without losing the heat that is already indoors.
• Landscape your yard and plant trees. Yes, trees! Trees and shrubs can block those biting winds, while still allowing sunlight to reach your windows, and can even create small pockets of air to help with insulation.
• Upgrade your furnace to a new, high-efficiency model. There may even be tax credits in it for you, making that dollar stretch even farther.
• Hire an HVAC expert to perform an energy audit on your home to discover even more ways your can save.