What Can I Do to Lower My Energy Bills in Abilene?

If you’re looking to save money, a great place to start is right inside your home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling your home typically accounts for about 48% of your utility bill. Some of the best ways to start saving money don’t need a huge investment of money or time. If you haven’t scheduled your furnace service for the year, that’s the perfect place to start. We also have a couple additional tips that can help keep your bills as low as possible.

Schedule an Energy Audit

If you reach out to your local utility provider, they will come do an energy audit of your home. These services are typically provided free-of-charge and assess everything that is present on your utility bill, from your heating and cooling system to your kitchen and laundry appliances. A lot of utility companies also can provide rebates for insulation and other items that can increase your home’s efficiency.

Smartly Program Your Programmable Thermostat

Thermostats have come a long way, and the technology behind them only continues to evolve. For example, the iComfort S30 is able to employ the GPS In your smartphone to determine when you’re leaving and makes the proper alteration to help you save money and increase efficiency while you’re gone. When you return home, everything goes to the way it was and you don’t have to worry about making any changes. It’s also able to adjust to your routine, so when baseball and football seasons kick off, your thermostat can make the correct adjustment.

The Department of Energy says that a well programmed thermostat could

decrease your heating costs by up to 35% and your cooling costs by up to 25%. Set your thermostat as low as you can, while remaining comfortable in the winter and as high as comfortable in the summer. There are a few different models to choose from so pick the one that best fits your schedule and needs.

If your schedule changes a lot, a 7-day model is more than likely your best choice. They give you the flexibility to set different programs for each day. These normally have four possible temperature stages every day.

There are also 5+2 and 5-1-1 models. These models are perfect if you have the same schedule on weekdays and a separate one for weekends.

Selecting and Maintaining Your System

If you think you’re almost to the point where your system should be replaced, it’s a good idea to take a look at all of your options so you can make an informed decision when the time necessitates. Look at the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of air conditioners and the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of the furnaces. The higher the ratings, the greater the savings. As always, our furnace and A/C pros will help you make a well-informed decision that meets you and your needs.

If you’re not at that point, a simple furnace service and routine maintenance can keep your system running smoothly and efficiently. If you haven’t scheduled your furnace service for the year or are having any sort of questions about your system or possibilities, give us a call at (325) 692-5850.