5 Reasons Why Your Heating Bill Is so High

Many homeowners experience unusually high heating bills during the winter season. This is for a variety of reasons. If your consumption has not significantly changed since the last year but the bill is significantly high, this is often a result of problems with your HVAC system. Here are some of the most common problems with the HVAC that can drive up your heating bills. Also included with each problem is a suitable solution for it.

Poor Insulation of Your Home

The insulation of your home plays an important role in the energy efficiency of the heating system. Poor insulation leads to a loss of heating during winters. This in turn forces the HVAC to exert more in order to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. And this ultimately leads to a higher heating bill. Improving the overall insulation of the house has a direct impact on the bill. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that adding insulation and air sealing your home can save 15% in heating costs on average.

Before you seek to improve the insulation, it is important to give your home insulation a check and identify the areas where you can make things better. If you’re not sure how to go about it, you can hire an HVAC contractor in Greenville, SC to help you out.

Poor HVAC Maintenance

Your HVAC needs routine maintenance on an annual or bi-annual basis, depending on how heavy your usage is. If the heating components of the HVAC are not serviced and maintained properly, they no longer work at their optimal efficiency. Problems like clogged air filters, a malfunctioning furnace or a thermostat that is not properly adjusted can cause the HVAC to exert more, consume more energy and incur higher heating bills.

A simple solution to this is to ensure routine maintenance of your HVAC. On average, it is advised for homeowners to hire a professional and have the HVAC serviced twice a year. If you can’t hire a professional as often, you must at least change the air filters at the recommended time.

Poor Energy Efficiency

A wide variety of heating systems, furnaces and boilers are used by homeowners. Some consume oil to produce heat, others use gas, propane or electric power to ensure heating. Depending on their fuel source, age, model and type, HVAC systems can vary widely in terms of energy efficiency. When a heating system has poor energy efficiency, it consumes more energy to deliver less amount of heat. A system with higher efficiency is able to deliver the same amount of heat by consuming a lot less amount of energy or fuel.

This is why it is important to have your system’s energy efficiency checked if you are receiving higher energy bills. If the system has poor efficiency, you will need to have it repaired. If the problem is found in an old heating system, you may need to have it replaced altogether.

Thermostat Settings

Thermostat settings are often a key culprit behind high energy costs. Most homeowners simply set a single setting on the thermostat and let that setting stay in place for the whole season. You can significantly reduce the energy bills by using a programmable thermostat. Such a thermostat typically lowers the temperature when you are away from home and turns it back up when you are due to return. As the home requires little heating when no one’s around, you get to save up to 10% by turning down thermostat by 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day.

Ductwork Leaks

Ductworks may develop leaks for a variety of reasons. These leaks allow heated air to escape, preventing the HVAC from suitably heating the home. When this is the case, your HVAC exerts more while delivering a poor heating. When you experience this, it is time to have the ductwork inspected by a professional. If there are leaks, the professional will resolve them which can lead to significant improvements in energy efficiency of the HVAC.

Hiring Qualified Greenville Heating and Air Contractors to Lower Your High Heating Bills

If you are in Greenville, SC and want to have your HVAC inspected for energy efficiency, give us a call. Here at General Air, we have been serving Greenville homeowners and businesses for many years. Our skilled Greenville heating and air contractors are equipped to identify problems with the heating and cooling components. We also help you improve your energy efficiency and reduce high heating bills by making the right choices for your HVAC system.