Now is the perfect time to get your home ready for winter and save on your winter energy bills.
The right preparation can help you save money and ensure you don’t have days of wasted energy or overworked equipment – two things that contribute to higher utility bills. Taking a few of these steps will also lessen your chance of dealing with an emergency later in the season.
Take time to look over your equipment and change filters
Now is a good time to look at your equipment and make sure it is running properly and replace any filters you have. These steps will help ensure your equipment is running as efficiently as possible. If you have the ability to hire an HVAC contractor, you can request an inspection and get notified of any upcoming maintenance or repairs. This will help alleviate the chance that something becomes an emergency on a cold and snowy night.
Have a fireplace? Now is time to clean and inspect it before it goes into use
Your fireplace may have built up soot or ash over last year’s use, and the summer storms may have deposited debris over the top of your chimney. Clean out and clear up your system now so it is ready to go when the time comes.
Test all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Winter is when most house fires occur. It is also when our houses are closed up tight, making us more susceptible to carbon monoxide. Make sure your devices are working properly and have good batteries or are connected to electricity correctly. Having back-up batteries on hand will also save you time and stress later.
Get an energy audit
If you have never had an energy audit done on your house before, fall is a great time to schedule one. An audit can show you where your home is least efficient and where you are losing energy. You can then make a plan to repair or replace the things that are not serving you well anymore. These repairs, which are sometimes minor, can help you save on energy bills in the future.
We do energy audits for our clients. Contact one of our offices today to get more information.