Moving to a cold weather area and being shocked at the cost of heating

A little over a year ago, my husband accepted a promotion at work.

  • The promotion offered a significant increase in pay but required us to move our family across the country.

We switched from a hot and dry climate to an area that is known as the “snow-belt.” This was quite an adjustment for us. My kids didn’t own winter coats or boots, had never worn knitted hats, and had never seen snow. I’d never scraped ice off the windshield of my car or shoveled snow out of the driveway. When we experienced our first snowfall, our family was very excited. The novelty, however, quickly wore off. We realized how difficult and expensive the cold weather can be. When the outside temperature dropped below zero, I immediately turned up the thermostat and kept the furnace blasting at maximum capacity. I was then horrified at the cost of my monthly energy bill. I quickly turned the thermostat so low that the kids were wearing their coats in the house. Realizing I needed to find a way to keep my family warm without completely draining my budget, I contacted a local HVAC contractor for some assistance. The HVAC contractor inspected the home and found a whole bunch of areas where energy was being wasted. He recommended weatherstripping for the doors, caulking around the windows, improving insulation levels and adding a humidifier. I wasn’t quite sure how a humidifier would save me money, but I followed his advice. I’ve learned that properly moisturized air feels warmer, allowing lower thermostat settings without giving up on comfort. Because of the humidifier, the furnace doesn’t need to work as hard, and my monthly energy bills are significantly lower.

heating and cooling