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One of the biggest contributors to a monthly utility bill is a home’s HVAC system. Whether it is summer or winter, the HVAC can contribute up to 75% of the bill. In regards to heating and cooling, Watkinsville homeowners can try these 5 tips to save money on their monthly bills. Update the Thermostat For many years, the HVAC system was controlled by a simple thermostat that was not very reliable at reading the temperature. Then, digital thermometers came along. These read the temperature more accurately and could be programmed with different settings to minimize how often the system ran. It could hold a different temperature when everyone was at work or school. Today, there are smart thermostats that can determine if the house is occupied and what the outside temperature is. This way it only turns the system onto a comfortable temperature when someone is home. Adjust the Temperature No matter what style of thermostat, adjusting the temperature setting even one degree can have an effect on the energy usage. Many homeowners will set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature for summer and for winter. But, if that setting is adjusted higher in the summer and lower in the winter, they will not feel much difference and save big money. Warmer or colder areas can be supplemented with a floor fan or portable heater for a few minutes. But, these can actually use more energy than the HVAC system. Cover the Windows Curtains and blinds do more than create privacy inside the house. They can also be used to control the inside temperature. Solar energy is the number one thing that affects the interior temperature of a house. In the summertime, the window coverings can be closed to block out the sun, keeping it from heating things up. In the winter, the opposite tactic should be used. The curtains or blinds can be opened to let the sun’s rays help the HVAC system. Close the Doors and Vents In theory, the system works to maintain a temperature throughout the house. Air flows into the rooms from the vents, but it also flows from room to room. Closed doors prevent the air from flowing and create large temperature differences. If the thermostat is in one of these areas, the system may run too much or too little. Some of these rooms may not be used at all, so trying to maintain the temperature is useless. Closing the vents and doors can keep the system from working harder to keep the temperature in rooms nobody uses. Keep the Filter Clean Nothing can make an air conditioner or heater work harder than a dirty air filter. As the air is circulated throughout the house, it picks up dust and dirt and carries it back to the filter. As all this gunk builds up, it is harder for the air to flow through the filter, preventing the warmed or cooled air from making it to the rest of the house. This causes the system to run longer trying to maintain the desired temperature setting. The best way to save money on the utility bills is to have an energy efficient system that is cleaned and inspected every year. But when looking to save even more money on heating and cooling, Watkinsville homeowners can also do these things.
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