GREENSBORO, N.C. — When you look at this seven-day forecast, the big standout is all the sunshine. After a long rainy weekend from Hurricane Ian, the sun is a welcome sight.
So, with such nice weather, why would you want to turn on the heater?
“We all love to be the last person in town to actually turn our furnace on and wait and that's fine to wait until you actually want it and use it full-time but turn it on now and make sure that it works,” said James Olesen, Home Comfort Experts.
I know, it's a fight over the thermostat, right? For some, it's a badge of honor to be the last person to turn on the heat. Experts say a heat test isn’t really using your heat, so go ahead and do it!
“That furnace can turn on and run for five minutes and not run again for two weeks but turning it on and making sure that the blower comes on and you're getting warm air out of your register is going to set you up for when it does get cold you at least know that it works,” said Olesen.
Heating costs can account for 25% to 50% of your total energy bill. Natural gas customers are being warned,
prices are going up more than those using electric heat.
HOW TO CUT HEATING COSTS:
Start by checking the filters-when they're dirty, the unit has to work harder, so clean and replace them regularly.
Next, check your doors and windows. Don't let the warm air you're paying for inside leak outside.
“You can easily install new weather stripping and draft blockers around your doors and windows to seal in warm air. For bigger gaps use foam. Cold air can come in
through outlets on external walls, so pop in some foam outlet sealers,” said Dan Wroclowski, Consumer Reports.
Adding an extra blanket and lowering the thermostat by 10 to 15 degrees overnight can cut your heating costs up to 10%.