Business & Tech
Frugal Family: Tips to Save on Home Heating Costs
According to Consumers Energy, residential natural gas customers are spending about 20 percent less this month due to unusually mild temperatures and lower gas costs. Find out how to save even more here.
You're probably spending less on home heating costs this winter due to the unusually mild weather so far, but there's always room to save even more.
According to Consumers Energy, the average residential natural gas customer's February bill is about 20 percent lower than it was a year ago due to warmer-than-average temperatures and lower gas costs.
The average bill for residential gas customers is about $146 this month for usage during January, compared to a typical bill of about $184 this time of year, the utility company recently reported.
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Here are some tips from Consumers Energy to help you save even more on your heating bill:
- Have your heating system tuned and inspected by a service professional each year. Losing heat due to a poorly maintained system can add up over time, up to 1 percent to 2 percent a year.
- Follow instructions in your furnace manufacturer's manual to clean or replace the furnace filter often during the heating season. This helps a furnace use less energy.
- Keep furniture, carpeting and curtains from blocking heat registers and air-return ducts.
- If radiators are located near cold outside walls, place a sheet of aluminum foil between the radiator and the wall to reflect the heat back into the room.
- Looking for a new furnace? Try to choose one that’s at least 90 percent efficient.
- Instead of using more heat, use extra blankets at night for warmth.
- Close your attic, basement, garage and exterior doors to prevent cold drafts and to help keep the heat inside.
- Consider using a ceiling fan set at a slow speed to push warm air away from the ceiling and move it around the room more evenly without creating a chilling breeze.
Source: Consumers Energy.
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