The average American household already spends a significant amount of their income to heat their home each winter. With news stories predicting sharp increases in the cost of heating fuels and electricity in the coming months, many homeowners are actively searching for ideas that can help them heat their homes as efficiently as possible. If your family is feeling stressed about future heating bills, here are three things you may want to discuss with a heating specialist in your area. 

Replacing the existing heating system

While the cost to replace a residential heating system can seem expensive at first glance, homeowners who have an older or inefficient heating system often find that installing a new high-efficiency furnace can result in significant monthly savings on heating costs. When considering the installation of a new furnace, homeowners may also want to consider upgrading to a zoned system or adding an alternate heating source to provide supplemental heat on an as-needed basis. A heating specialist can use their industry knowledge to help homeowners weigh each option and select the most cost-efficient one for their needs. 

Upgrading to geothermal 

In some climates, replacing a traditional heating system with a geothermal one can offer significant savings on heating bills. In a geothermal system, heat is gathered below ground and distributed inside the home instead of relying solely on heating elements or burners to produce heat. Since the installation of geothermal heat does require an extensive installation process to situate the necessary pipes for gathering heat, it is important to discuss all aspects of the project with a reputable heating specialist before moving forward with this type of heating upgrade. 

Dealing with existing HVAC issues 

Homeowners who may not be ready to install a new furnace or upgrade to geothermal may still be able to reduce their future heating bills by making repairs or improvements to their current heating system. Heating systems that have repair issues or other problems can operate very inefficiently and cause heating bills to be uncomfortably high. Some of these can include: 

• undersized or damaged ductwork that is incapable of distributing heat efficiently 
• issues with vent size or placement that restricts airflow
• unresolved repair issues with furnace components that cause the heating system to be inefficient when creating or distributing heat

Finding the best way to reduce the costs of heating your home can be more easily achieved with the assistance of a reputable heating specialist in your area. 

For more information, contact a company like Economy Supply Co.