I’d like to take a minute to thanks our sponsor, FilterEasy, for allowing us to bring you these tips on how to lower your heating and cooling costs.
Three things you can do now to lower your cooling costs this summer and your heating costs next winter:
Get Your System Tuned Up
Just because your furnace hummed along all winter and you’ve tested your air conditioning unit already doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give your service technician a call. They will be able to both clean and service your units and identify any problems that haven’t reared their heads yet. They will clear the air conditioner vents to ensure adequate airflow and clean out any dust or leaves that have made their way into the unit. (Our neighborhood has had an issue with mice setting up shop inside air units and chewing on wires.) The tech will also check furnace belts for any wear and give it a tune-up. Depending on the temperature, you may be able to have both the furnace and the air serviced during the same visit.

It’s the original AC unit (1993) but with regular maintenance, it’s still humming along!
Reduce the Load on Your Units
The harder your heating and cooling units have to work, the more stress it puts on them. Do what you can to keep the temperature cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Close up any leaks with caulk and check that all your windows are closed tightly. In the summer, leave the blinds down during the hottest part of the day. If your home is humid, invest in a dehumidifier. That will allow you to raise the temperature a degree or two as the lack of humidity will make it feel cooler. If you home is lacking insulation anywhere, make sure to add some. We invested in insulating the floor of our attic the year after we bought our home and it has made a huge difference.
Change Your Filter Regularly
Our service tech actually says that having a clean filter is the most important thing you can do to improve the efficiency of your furnace. A dirty filter impedes air flow and puts a huge strain on your unit as well as keeps it from heating or cooling as well as it should. You may want to take into account any unusual conditions that might clog your filter faster than what is typical: home repair or remodeling projects, allergy season, etc. Even without any additional circumstances, it can be hard to keep up with filter changes regularly. First there is remembering to change it – we have tried writing it on the calendar, but that has still been hit or miss. Or we will forget to have a clean one on standby and need to make a special trip out before we can change the filter. The trip to the store gets postponed and then another month has gone by before you know it.

Yuck!! Looks like our new filter arrived just in time!
is your easy solution to this problem!
FilterEasy is a subscription service that delivers a fresh, clean furnace filter to your door when it is time to change yours. You just go to and set it up by inputting the correct size that you need and you are done! Oh – and your first one is free!!! No shipping charges and no need to go in and remember to order it each month. Like magic, it will show up on your doorstep and all you have to do is open it and put it in your furnace. And if you ever need to pause or cancel a delivery, no problem at all! If only all our home maintenance tasks were this easy!!
Kerrie Mendoza says
These are great ideas! We have a schedule on the calendar and on our phones to remind us to check/change filters. We will have to check for leaks around our windows. Lowering the blinds during the day is a great idea.
Amy Desrosiers says
We love FilterEasy and use them too! The filters are affordable, easy to use, and I love the reminders.
Anne Marie says
We are adding a new room this spring so I will definitely be looking into HVAC options. Your tips for increasing efficiency are so timely
Shelley says
My husband had to run out for filters just the other day. This would be so much more convenient.
Susan Carraretto says
I’m not looking forward to the heat of August. We don’t have central air conditioning… so it’s rough. Smart to maintain it properly though.
Catalina says
Yes! Clean filter! I really forgot about it! I need to take care of it! Thanks for sharing!
Annemarie LeBlanc says
This is so important. Checking our filters regularly can help us save on our electric bill. And a well maintained heating/cooling units would also save us on huge repair or replacement costs. Thanks for this timely reminder.
Jennifer says
These are some great tips! OUrs needs to get serviced this summer as well.
Celebrate Woman Today says
The bill is huge during the summer months. These are great ways to lower it down. A great reminder to me!