As we enter the coldest time of the year, you’ll probably start to cringe when you get your gas bill. It is not uncommon for gas bills to increase throughout the winter months of the year since your furnace has to work extra hard to keep up with frigid temperatures. However, there are a variety of things you can do to lower your monthly utility expenses. To help you gain an understanding of why your gas bill is so high, we’ve created a list of factors that may impact the gas usage in your house.
Why is My Gas Bill So High ?
Size of Your Home
It will cost more to heat a house that includes a total of 2,500 square feet when compared to a smaller house that features 1,700 square feet. This is because your gas furnace has to work harder to heat more space. Another variable that may cause high gas bills is high or vaulted ceilings.
If you’re looking to decrease your monthly gas bills, we recommend investing in a new energy-efficient furnace with a high AFUE rating. AFUE is an acronym that stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. This is a metric that is utilized in the HVAC industry to measure the total quantity of energy a furnace is able to transform into heat for a home. An excellent way to lower your gas bill and enhance the comfort of your house is to purchase a furnace with a high AFUE rating.
Opening & Closing Doors in the Winter
If your kids are continuously opening and closing the door throughout the winter months to go outside, a fair amount of heat is escaping from your house. This will cause your gas furnace to operate more often throughout the day to maintain the temperature on your thermostat. To prevent high gas bills, we recommend creating a schedule that allows your kids to play outside in the snow a couple of times each day. This will help decrease the total amount of times they open and close the door.
Using an Inefficient Gas Furnace
If you’re wondering why your gas bill is so high, we recommend looking at the instructions for your gas furnace to confirm the age of the system. Since old gas furnaces rely on a standing pilot light, a small amount of gas is always being used to keep this small flame on throughout the day.
This will cause the price of your gas bill to increase and will make it harder for you to save money. To decrease your utility bills, we recommend investing in a high-efficiency gas furnace that utilizes an electronic ignition system. The latest furnaces for sale on the market will include either an intermittent pilot light or a hot surface ignition system. Since the latest energy-efficient furnaces utilize an efficient electronic ignition system, they consume less energy and help you save money on your gas bill.
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Outdated Thermostat
If you don’t have a programmable or smart thermostat, your gas bills may be higher than they need to be. A programmable thermostat is engineered to learn your schedule to help you save money on your monthly heating bill. This type of thermostat is able to lower the temperature when it senses you’re not home. In addition, you can give the programmable thermostat a command to run the gas furnace at night when you’re asleep.
Clogged Air Filter
If the air filter in your house is covered in dust and dirt, your furnace will be required to work harder to distribute warm air throughout the home. In addition, a clogged air filter will negatively affect the air pressure coming from your furnace. To accommodate the low air pressure, your furnace will be required to operate longer to reach the temperature on the thermostat. To keep your gas bill low, we recommend replacing fiberglass air filters once a month. If you’re utilizing an expensive pleated air filter, we recommend only replacing it twice a year.
Read More: Why Is My Furnace Leaking?
Worn Out Caulk & Weather Strips
Another excellent way to avoid a high gas bill is to replace the caulk near your windows and doors. In addition, you should consider replacing the weather stripping under your doors every couple of months to keep your house warm.
If you didn’t call your local HVAC technician before the winter season, the furnace in your home may be performing inefficiently. Be sure to make an appointment as soon as possible to have it cleaned and serviced to prevent any big problems from happening this winter and to ask if there’s a way your bills could be lower.
Heating Repair & Installation Services in Virginia
Snell Heating & Air Conditioning provides dependable furnace repair and installation services to homes in areas of Virginia including Centreville, Arlington, Reston, and Alexandria. Our team also offers air conditioning maintenance and replacement services for small to large homes. Give us a call by phone at (703) 543-9649 or book an appointment online to receive assistance.
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