Welcome back to the Buckhorn Heating And Air blog! Today, we’re going to try to prepare you for the Colorado winter that already seems to be starting. We’ll be doing that by giving you some quick and easy tips as to how you can maximize the efficiency of your heating system (and ultimately save money).

De-Clutter Your Heaters

One of the easiest ways to stifle the effectiveness of your heating system is to block your heaters with furniture, boxes, or any other belongings you have blocking them. Think about it, if you’re blocking the heater vents, radiator, etc., you’re keeping the warm air from circulating, which will make your HVAC system work harder to warm your home to the desired temperature.

Utilize Curtains

Windows are thin and can easily transfer your home’s heat out and the outside cold in. Not to mention, if you’re living in an older home, or if you just have some faulty windows, drafts of cold air can easily travel into your home. A simple-but-effective method to combat this is to draw your curtains tight. Essentially, this serves as a buffer, an extra layer of insulation to keep, or at least slow, the transfer of warm and cold air.

Strategically Implement Your Thermostat

Practically any thermostat you’ll encounter will have a programming feature. Make the most out of your home-heating by programming it strategically. For instance, program your thermostat to kick on an hour or so before you wake up and an hour or so before you get home — adjust the time based on how long it takes for your HVAC system to reach the optimal temperature — but ensure that when the house is empty, the heat turns off. This ensures that you’re cozy when you’re home, and you’re saving money while you’re away.

Prevent Door Drafts

Remember those odd, tube-shaped things that you most likely encountered at the base of your Grandma’s back door? Those serve a purpose! When it comes to drafts of cold air, they can come through the windows as we mentioned above, but they can also enter through the door frame. Those tube-shaped things, they’re called draught stoppers, and they simply serve as a barrier, keeping cold air from entering the base of your door.

In a similar vein, you can invest in plastic window or door coverings that serve as another level of insulation against drafts. Hopefully, your doors and windows are air-tight enough to not require these, but they’re a great alternative for those who need that extra bit of protection from the outer elements.

The Big Fixes

While these tips will likely keep your home warmer and your bill lower, sometimes they just won’t cut it. If you’re doing these things and still finding that your home is cold or your heating bill is higher than it should be, that’s the sign of an HVAC problem. If this is the case, don’t hesitate and reach out to the experts at Buckhorn Heating And Air.

We can conduct a thorough HVAC inspection to identify the issue, the severity of the issue, and some possible solutions you can consider to fix the problem. Sometimes, you’ll be able to solve the problem with a repair, and other times you may need an HVAC replacement. But no matter what, when you work with our HVAC company in Loveland, you’ll grow to understand what’s wrong with your HVAC system and have solutions to choose from.

Our company cares about our community, and it’s our mission to provide the best services we possibly can. If you need an HVAC inspection, please contact us today!