Everyone deserves to be comfortable in their own home — after long days at work, errand running, or whatever else takes us away from our personal sanctuary. As fall quickly sets in and cooler temperatures begin to affect your home, when is the correct time to turn on the heat? Over 90% of homes in the United States are expected to have higher heating costs than last year, and there is a delicate dance between holding out to save money and protecting the integrity of your pipes. We'll break down the best approach to heating your home this season.

Heat Steadily, Not Suddenly

The first frost might prompt you to immediately run to the thermostat — but this could be a costly mistake. HVAC systems do much better when you slowly and steadily raise the internal temperature of your home rather than making sudden jumps. This is why it is smart to wait until the weather settles into consistently lower temperatures before turning on the heat. If you fiddle with the temperature from morning to night, your system goes into a money-draining cycle.

Regulate Your Heating Needs

Once temperatures are consistently low, turn on the heat to a low setting — around 60 to 68 degrees. This will help keep your pipes from freezing without breaking the bank. With unpredictable weather patterns throughout the day, keeping your heat on but regulated will cover all bases and protect the structure of your home from lasting damage.

Alternative Options For Heat

Alternative heating options are excellent for saving money and becoming a greener consumer. Here are a few low-cost options for every size of household:

• Personal Heaters — Personal heaters can give you an almost instant boost of warmth in a very concentrated space, making them perfect for a home office or bedroom.
• Use Your Stove — Stoves heat up the home while cooking delicious meals for the family, and the warmth can linger and permeate the house. We are NOT suggesting leaving the stove on all day — that can be dangerous and costly — but utilizing the oven more regularly for baking pies and casseroles in the winter is a great natural heat bonus.
• Draft Stoppers — These handy tools are an easy and cheap way to conserve heat throughout your house. Simply slide them under doors for a tight seal from room to room.

Remember these helpful tips when heating your home this cold season. An easy way to save even more money is to check our savings calculator — we can help estimate what you can save by switching to our services.