Seven Ways to Lower Fuel Costs

Fall is a time when children go back to school, leaves on the trees change colors, and the days and nights turn a little cooler. This is the time when rising fuel costs may cause a little pinch in your budget. To save money, there are seven ways to lower fuel costs that are easy to implement and operate.

Get a smart thermostat and monitor your temperature

A smart thermostat is a device that will allow you to program it to set the temperature based on your daily routine. You can set it to automatically turn on right before you rise for the morning, and then set it to turn itself down while you are away from home and during the night. Because it uses your Wi-Fi network in your home, you can control it from a cell phone or tablet. You should also keep your thermostat set at a lower temperature to save on fuel.

Make sure your fireplace damper is closed

A fireplace damper is essentially a hole in your roof. If it is left open, you will lose a lot of heat out of your home because heat rises. Because fireplaces actually draw heat out of the home, it is best that you limit your use of it. 

Seal up your doors, windows, and other spaces

Many people do not realize that they can be losing heat because they have cracks and leaks around their doors, windows, and electrical outlets. You should use the fall season to caulk around your doors and windows and install outlet gaskets around your electrical outlets. 

Inspect, clean, and repair ductwork

Heat can be lost through leaks in the ductwork of your HVAC system. You should make sure that perform a thorough duct cleaning and seal up any leaks you find. You should also inspect the ductwork and make any needed repairs. 

Clean, inspect, and repair your heater and humidifier

Your fall furnace tune up should include a complete inspection and cleaning of the furnace and humidifier. Keeping furnaces and humidifiers clean will help the parts last longer and you will save money on more expensive repairs later. Change or clean the furnace filters and humidifier filters. If you need to have any repairs done or you would rather not do them yourself, you can call professionals to do it for you. You should also maintain the manufacturer required maintenance schedule that is recommended in your product manuals. 

Winterize your windows

You can tighten up your home by winterizing your windows. You can find window winterization kits in your local home improvement store that are essentially plastic sheets that are applied to your windows. The plastic adheres to the glass to keep warm air from seeping out and cold air from seeping into your home. 

Check your attic insulation

You should make sure that your attic insulation is sufficient and intact. You can have a professional give your attic an inspection to make sure that you have a sufficient amount of insulation and make recommendations and additions if needed. The condition of your insulation will also let you know if you have any problems with your roof. If your insulation is damp, that may indicate a leak that should be addressed as soon as possible.