Appropriate heater care and clever purchases can assist you to decrease the high costs of heating your home. That’s excellent news thinking about that energy bills-which are already historically high-are anticipated to continue to climb. A recent post in USA Today reported that homeowners on average will see a 25.7 percent boost in heating costs compared to a year earlier.

To reduce heating costs, specialists state that the energy efficiency of your heating system is very essential. According to Jim Miller of Amana brand name heaters, “Homeowners don’t have much control over the price of gas, but they can take actions to reduce the impact of home heating costs.” He offers these pointers:

“If you have not already done so this year, have a licensed HVAC professional examine your furnace now,” Miller emphasized. “He can carry out a safety evaluation and clean your furnace so that it runs as effectively as possible.”

A furnace’s effectiveness is shown by its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency percentage, or “AFUE,” a measurement developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The higher a heating system’s AFUE, the more efficient it is. “Furnaces older than 15 years run at efficiencies of approximately 60% AFUE.

“If you were to replace that 60% AFUE heater with a high-efficiency system, such as the Amana brand AMV9 96% AFUE Variable-Speed Furnace, you would get 96 cents worth of warmth for every single dollar you spend towards heating your home,” said Miller.

He added that heaters with a variable-speed blower are much more effective due to the fact that the blowers usually require as much as 75 percent less electricity than a standard motor. In addition, a heater’s blower also deals with the house’s cooling system, suggesting customers experience increased performance year-round.

Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), homeowners who buy heaters with an AFUE of 95% or higher in 2006 and 2007 might qualify for a tax credit of $150. And if that heating system uses a variable-speed blower, they might qualify for an extra $50 tax credit.

Correct heater care and wise purchases can help you minimize the high costs of heating your home. To decrease heating costs, experts say that the energy effectiveness of your furnace is extremely important. A furnace’s performance is suggested by its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency portion, or “AFUE,” a measurement developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), house owners who buy furnaces with an AFUE of 95% or greater in 2006 and 2007 might certify for a tax credit of $150.