How to Prepare for a Cold Winter and Rise in Gas Prices

While helping my son get ready for school the other morning he questioned why it was dark outside.  In his mind, it clearly could not be time to get up and get ready if the sun wasn’t even up yet.  While many adults feel the same way on cold, dark mornings, we all know that shortened daylight hours are a clear sign that fall is here and winter is coming.  As we look ahead to the winter months what are some things that we can expect?

A Cold Winter Ahead

Both Accuweather and The Old Farmers’ Almanac predict that it will be a cold winter.  In fact, the Old Farmers’ Almanac has already even it labelled it, “a season of shivers.”  Yikes!

Similarly, the Accuweather forecast states, “Similar to the Northeast, folks across the Great Lakes and the north-central U.S. should brace for a colder-than-normal winter with snowy spells throughout most of the season.”

Unfortunately, this potentially frigid winter will also coincide with a predicted continued increase in natural gas prices.  Homeowners may be in for quite an unpleasant surprise with their gas bills when the temperatures drop.

How to Prepare for a Cold Winter and High Gas Prices

Schedule a furnace inspection.

As you should every year, it is important to make sure to schedule a maintenance inspection for your furnace.  This is particularly imperative this winter as you will want to be confident that your furnace will be working properly if it is going to be a cold one.  Furthermore, regular maintenance inspections help to keep the unit running efficiently–definitely something you want with gas prices going up!

Consider investing in a high efficiency furnace.

If your furnace is nearing the end of its lifespan, now is the time to investigate the possibility of installing a newer, more efficient model. High efficiency furnaces use less energy, which means lower energy bills.

Put all of your energy saving practices to use!

For example, program your thermostat or turn the heat down during the day while everyone is out.  Turn the heat down at nighttime too and layer up on blankets.  Add insulation to your home, strategically open and close drapes throughout the day, and don’t forget to use your humidifier!  These are all ways to stay warm and keep your heating bills down.

To learn more about our residential heating services, contact us at FLAME Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical!