How to Survive the South Carolina Winter

So, winter is coming, and with it comes South Carolina winter HVAC issues. But, with a little planning and some help from the experts here at General Air of Greenville South Carolina, you can save your wallet and your HVAC system a lot of trouble. Although South Carolina winters aren’t necessarily the harshest, or the most demanding, they can still put a weight on your systems. So we need to plan for the cold, establish best ways to monitor your thermostat, how to keep your furnace in tip-top shape, the best ways to use the elements to your advantage, how to keep your house warm without breaking the bank, and checking up on your house’s insulation.

For starters, let us talk about how to prepare for the South Carolina Winter. We are out of the spring, so it is worth investing in some sweaters, longer pants, and most importantly fuzzy socks. Who doesn’t love fuzzy socks? You should also use this time to buy up some blankets, before prices go up in the winter. Large fuzzy blankets, small throw blankets, all kinds. It might seem silly, but if used correctly a good blanket can pay for itself by the end of the winter in energy bills alone. And who doesn’t like to curl up under a blanket and watch a good movie or read a good book?

Next step is very crucial, call a General Air of Greenville expert to come out and inspect your furnace for any issues. This is good to do before you start really using it in the winter, and a failure can leave you without heat during the coldest parts of the year. What’s more, is that the colder parts of the year are when it is more likely to break because of it’s constant use. This checkup can help make sure your furnace is running at optimal efficiency, and could save you money in the long run.

Furnaces with leaks or that smell of gas should be immediately checked up on. And although it may seem bad, a burning smell from a furnace is not always something to worry about. Sometime this can originate from built up dust and debris being burnt off when you first start up your furnace, and is not anything to worry about. If the smell persists after the first few days, it is worth getting it checked out. Although new furnaces are very safe, older furnaces are especially dangerous. Prone to leaks and breaking, these furnaces can be a risk to your health and life during the South Carolina winter. Call a General Air expert today to see if it is time for an upgrade to your system.

Another underrated way to save money during the South Carolina winter is to let the sun do the work for you! Using the sun’s natural rays to heat your home is as old as time, and it still works just as well. Leaving your windows exposed, bringing back the blinds, and letting the warmth fill your home. Using this in tandem with your heater can only bring down your energy bills, completely free. If you’re lucky, your house is positioned to take in the sun during both sunset and sunrise, increasing your natural heat during the coldest hours of the day. The smart move is to plant trees facing where the sun rises and sets, so that way in the winter when the leaves fall you can allow the sun in, but in the summer and spring the natural leaves of the trees will block the sun, making cooling your house easier! Using this, paired with giving your heater a break during noon, when the sun is at its strongest, can help bring down your energy bills dramatically. Also, letting your house cool even more during the night, when it is proven that lower temperatures help you sleep, can bring your energy bills to their lowest yet.

On the flip side, what if you’re ok paying a little extra on your energy bills this South Carolina Winter? It’s your house after all! Well we here at General Air of Greenville want you to be prepared too. The most important part is consistency, if you want your house to remain warm. Pick a temperature at the beginning of the South Carolina winter (we recommend 72) and keeping it there until night, where you might want to lower it. This will keep you system running optimally, instead of turning off and on, and can keep this system running the cheapest. Still saving you money, even if you want to heat your home like luxury. It’s also worth investing in some new insulation. Getting an expert to come out and evaluate your insulation is a wise decision, that could keep your home better heated in the South Carolina Winter. An expensive but valuable solution are double panned windows, which help keep you home warm and cool.

If you are looking to make this South Carolina winter the lowest energy bill every, contact General Air of Greenville South Carolina today for an expert opinion.