Heating bills during winter months can really suck the life out of your wallet. But what you heat your home with can reduce those costs while maximizing comfort. You shouldn’t have to wrap yourself in blankets or wear three sweaters indoors.
Smart choices when it comes to equipment can keep your living spaces cozy without spending a ton.
Upgrade Your Furnace to a High Efficiency Model
Chances are your old furnace is losing you several hundred dollars every year. Thus, it only makes sense to upgrade to a high efficiency unit.
Newer furnaces are rated at 90% AFUE or higher. AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency which tells you how much fuel is turned into heat for your home.
ENERGY STAR labeled furnaces are the way to go. They utilize 15% less energy than standard new homes and reduce your monthly bill. High efficiency units cost more money upfront, but you’ll recoup that with your heating bill over five to seven years.
Add a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats are magical when it comes to saving money on heating. You can program your thermostat to run at lower temperatures while you’re asleep or away from home. Then you can raise the temperature shortly before you wake up or return home.
With such a simple adjustment you can save between 10% and 15% annually on heating costs. Smart thermostats can take it a step further by learning your schedule.
They automatically adjust the temperature based on when you’re usually home. You can also control smart thermostats with your smartphone, so you never heat an empty home again.
Size Your Equipment Correctly
Just because furnaces and boilers come in large sizes doesn’t mean you need one. Installing equipment that’s too big for your home is terribly inefficient. An oversized furnace will short cycle, turning on and off more frequently.
Not only is that bad for equipment, but it’s wasteful. You want heating equipment that’s sized properly to heat your home efficiently. Have a professional come take a look at your home and give you recommendations based on square footage.
Go with a Heat Pump System
Heat pumps are one of the most efficient heating (and cooling) systems you can purchase. Instead of burning fuel to create heat they simply move it around. Due to this they consume 50% less electricity than other methods of heating your home.
Not only will you have both a heating and cooling system in one, but you save money on installation costs. Heat pumps have come a long way in the past few years.
New models can perform efficiently even in extremely cold temperatures. Thus, more and more northern homeowners are making the switch.
See also: Smart Homes Start with Smart Minds: How Online IQ Testing Supports Better Home Decisions
Install Zone Heating Controls
Zone heating allows you to heat one area of your home without blowing hot air everywhere. You won’t spend money heating part of your home that nobody uses. Instead, you can send heat to where you need it and leave other areas alone.
Depending on how you utilize zone heating, you can save between 20% and 30% on your heating bills.
Dampers get installed in your ductwork which allow you to control where airflow goes. Each zone has its own thermostat so you can cool down bedrooms at night and keep your living areas warm.
Get Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant heating comes from the floor and heats up everything it comes in contact with. The NHS told us that tubes get installed under your flooring and hot water is circulated through them. This type of heat heads the objects and people in the room, instead of heating the air.
Because of how it heats your home, radiant heat consumes 25% less energy than forced air systems. Not only will you feel more comfortable at lower temperatures, but your heat is distributed evenly.
There are no cool spots, or pesky drafts like with other methods. Thus you can enjoy superior comfort while spending less time heating your home.
Maintain Your Equipment
You could have the most efficient heating system on the market but lose efficiency if you don’t maintain your equipment. Be sure to schedule annual tune-ups with a technician. They’ll make sure everything is clean and running as it should be.
Your equipment will function at maximum efficiency throughout the entire winter season. Not only will maintenance save you money on your heating bill, but you’ll avoid major breakdowns. Small problems can become costly if you let them linger, so catching them early will save you money.
Add a Condensing Boiler
Condensing boilers do a better job at extracting heat from your fuel source. They capture heat from exhaust gases that would normally be lost through a chimney. Because they capture this extra heat, these boilers have efficiency ratings of over 90%.
You’ll immediately notice the savings on your heating bill. If you pair a condensing boiler with radiant floor heating, your home will stay comfortable and cozy. Not to mention, you’ll be saving money for the next 15 to 20 years with condensing boilers.
Heat Room by Room with Space Heaters
Space heaters are great if you want supplemental heating in certain rooms. You can turn your thermostat down and use space heaters to help heat common areas. Space heaters cost more than your central heating system.
However, it costs less to heat a single room than your entire house. By strategically using space heaters, you can reduce your overall heating costs. Just remember to purchase newer models with automatic shutoffs and tip-over protection.
Get a Ductless Mini-Split
Ductless mini-splits are perfect if you have additions or don’t have ductwork. These unique systems mount on your wall and heat (and cool) your home. You can have one outdoor compressor connect to multiple indoor units.
Because of that you can heat zones in your home without having to pay to have ductwork installed. Not only do they run pretty quietly, but their efficiency rating is high as well. Therefore, ductless mini-splits are great for bedrooms, home offices, and converted garages.
Seal and Insulate All Ductwork
All that money you spend heating your home can go flying right out of leaky ducts. The average home loses 20% to 30% of heated air due to duct leaks. Therefore, by sealing and insulating your ducts, you’ll notice a huge difference.
You can easily seal accessible ducts with mastic sealant or metal tape. Professional duct sealing will reach the hard to access areas inside your walls and ceilings. Therefore, more heated air stays in your living area and not your crawl space or attic.
Real Case Study: Smart Heating Equipment That Cut Energy Bills
Let’s start with a real-world example of equipment that helped lower heating bills.
Google Nest conducted an independent study where real utility data was analysed from thousands of households before and after installing smart thermostats.
Nest published the study results, and homeowners saved on average 10–12% on heating costs by automating temperature adjustments when they weren’t home and scheduling their thermostat more efficiently. Nest customers in colder climates where heating systems run longer typically saw greater savings.
There’s no estimation or guessing here; real utility bills were analyzed before and after installing a smart thermostat that learned when homeowners were awake, asleep, or away to control the heating for them.
Please read case study – https://nest.com/energy-savings/
Replacing your entire heating system with new equipment can certainly save money. But as this case study proves, sometimes just adding smarter, more efficient equipment to your existing heating can cut costs and improve comfort.
FYI (Frequently Found Information) – Heating Equipment FAQs
Which heating equipment saves homeowners the most money?
Heating systems with the highest efficiency ratings like ENERGY STAR furnaces, heat pumps, condensing boilers, or ductless mini-splits typically provide the largest long-term savings because they convert more energy into heat.
Do programmable or smart thermostats help save money?
Yes. Smart thermostats and programmable thermostats can significantly cut heating costs by automatically lowering temperature settings when you sleep or while away from home. 10–15% annual savings are typical for homeowners who just use a programmable thermostat.
Does oversized heating equipment cost more to run?
Installing heating equipment that’s too big for your home is one of the most expensive heating mistakes. Oversized furnaces and boilers cycle on and off too frequently, wasting energy and causing unnecessary wear.
Kutztown University Professor of Engineering Richard Siebert explains, “When a furnace short cycles, you could be raising and lowering your utility bills.”
Can I save money by installing a heat pump?
Heat pumps can be less expensive to operate than many traditional heating systems. Because they transfer heat rather than generate it, modern heat pumps are extremely energy efficient. Heat pumps can now heat your home efficiently even in colder regions.
Should I invest in zone heating?
Zone heating systems allow you to turn off heating to areas of your home you don’t use. Heating only occupied areas of your home can lower your heating bills by up to 30%.
Do annual furnace tunes save me money?
Maintenance and preventative repairs extend the lifespan of your equipment and ensure it runs efficiently. They can also save you money each time your heating system heats your home. Services like dirty air filters or cracked heat exchangers can increase energy consumption.
Will using space heaters help me save money on heating?
Space heaters can help you save money if you use them correctly. They allow you to keep your thermostat low and only heat occupied rooms. Choose energy-efficient models with safety features instead of outdated space heaters.
