Serving Milford, MA & the 
Each year when the milder days of early fall turn into the chilly evenings of late autumn and winter, you may notice your energy bills skyrocket. To save money and conserve energy, follow these tips to have a comfortable, affordable and environmentally friendly season.
Adjust the Temperature
Chances are you can still be comfortable at a slightly lower temperature than the temperature to which you’ve previously set your thermostat. Try decreasing the temperature by a couple of degrees to see if you notice a difference. Do take any medical needs into account before adjusting the thermostat. For example, your relatives or pets have medical conditions requiring specific temperatures.
Feel the Sun
Even though the sun sets earlier in the fall and winter, there’s still plenty of time during the day to catch some rays. Open up the curtains to let the sun warm up your home. On warmer fall days, you may not need to turn the heat on when the sun’s rays are strongest.
Reverse the Ceiling Fans
Your ceiling fans might also come with the option to run in reverse. Using this feature, which circulates warm air through the space, means you can turn the temperature on the thermostat down.
Seal the Gaps
Cold air seeping into your house from windows and doors means that you’ll likely need to increase the temperature, thereby consuming more energy. Seal up the gaps to keep the warmth inside. Also check that the window screens and storm doors are damage-free.
Add Insulation
While you’re getting the gaps sealed, you could also have more insulation added to the house. Older homes, in particular, tend to have poor insulation. Extensions to the original property may not be as well insulated as other parts of the house. Take note of rooms that feel significantly colder than others. If you’ve noticed that the winter temperatures feel impossible to deal with, the age of your house may be the problem.
Unblock the Vents
Check to ensure that the vents aren’t blocked. If you put the new sofa in front of the vents during the summer months, move that piece of furniture to get the warm air freely flowing through the space. Blocking heat vents is also a fire hazard, so this move makes your home safer as well.
Unplug Small Appliances
Spending more time indoors during the colder months might mean that you’re showing the kids how to use fun kitchen appliances, brewing pods of hot chocolate in the coffee maker, or plugging in electronic games to play. Even if you turn these appliances off, though, they can still draw some electricity. When you’re finished using an appliance, be sure to shut it off and unplug it.
Wait to Do the Wash
After each day of work and school, you might be tempted to throw a load of wash into the machine. Washing so frequently, however, uses up energy. Instead of running the machine often, put the wash in only when the laundry basket is full.
Change Furnace Filters
Failure to change your furnace filters could leave the heating system functioning inefficiently. In general, furnace filters need to be changed every three months. However, this number can vary based on a variety of factors, such as the age of the furnace and how often you run the heat. One of our team members can check the system to let you know how often you should change the filters.
Schedule Service
Adhering to a regular service schedule for your home’s heating system is an important part of maintenance. Failure to do so could even lead to a voiding of your warranty. Regular maintenance helps to keep your home’s heating in optimal condition. A malfunctioning or underperforming home heater is likely to use up more energy than a properly functioning unit. Our technicians can identify and resolve issues during the maintenance appointment. Let the technician know that you’re particularly interested in improvements that can boost energy efficiency.
Opt for Energy-efficient Upgrades
If your home’s heating system is old, the units are probably not running at maximum energy efficiency. Upgrading to a modern system can help you to cut down the cost of your heating bills. You might even be eligible for tax breaks after making the upgrades.
Get Zoned Heating
A zoned heating system can help save you money since you’ll have more control over your home’s temperature. With a zoned heating system, every part of your house doesn’t have to be set to the same temperature. Take the case of a two-story dwelling. Each story of the house can have its own zone. If you have a two-story house, all the bedrooms might be on the second level. When everyone is asleep, there’s no need for the heat to be set high on the first floor. A zoned heating system allows you to turn up the temperature on the second story while decreasing the temperature on the first floor.
Choose a Smart System
With a smart system, you can control your home’s temperature no matter where you are. A smart home heating system is compatible with your cell phone. For example, you might leave the house for work one day and forget to turn the thermostat down. Instead of leaving the heat blasting while you’re at work, you can simply adjust the temperature from your phone. With a smart system, you can also make energy-efficient changes to your home when you’re at work or on a leisure trip with family and friends. If the weather back at home changes, you can adjust the thermostat accordingly.
Set Your System
Make use of your thermostat’s programmable features to avoid situations in which you forget to turn off the heat or lower the temperature. You could opt to decrease the temperature each day when you’re out at work or when the sunlight is the strongest. You could also choose to have the temperature increase later on weekend mornings when everyone in the family is sleeping in.
Here at Tingley Home Services in Milford, we provide a wide range of services to improve your home’s heating system. Speak to one of our representatives about options for making your home more energy-efficient this fall and winter. We offer HVAC installation, heating repair and maintenance for all heating and cooling systems, including mini-splits. Our team members are available for electrical projects as well. Some of our electrical services include work on generators and EV charging stations as well as performing electrical installation and repair work.
We proudly serve numerous communities within Middlesex County, Bristol County, Worcester County and Norfolk County. Make sure to check out our specials, including coupons for a percentage off of select services and rebate offers, too. You can even schedule service with us online. To get started on making your home more energy efficient or to book other vital services for your dwelling, contact Tingley Home Services today.
