The weather starts to feel chilly at night by the end of August.
Sometime in September, I expect to start up the furnace. I always hold off as long as possible. The kids and my wife complain that they’re chilly. They want me to turn up the thermostat. I tell them to put on an extra sweater and wear slippers. Since I’m the one who pays the monthly energy bills, I am in charge of the thermostat. If it were up to me, I’d never set the thermostat above sixty-five degrees. I’d rather wear my winter coat in the house than pay such huge heating bills. Eventually, there’s no choice but to operate the furnace. In my local area, the outdoor temperature drops below freezing before Halloween. By Thanksgiving, there’s several feet of snow on the ground and sub zero temperatures. I am always searching for new ways to trim heating costs. I make sure to replace the air filter every month. I schedule professional service for the furnace every fall. A licensed technician comes to the house and provides a thorough inspection, cleaning and adjustment. He replaces any worn or broken parts to help us avoid a malfunction and repair over the winter. He removes any buildup of contaminants within the inner workings to maximize air flow. He further tightens electrical connections, lubricates moving parts and verifies the safety of the heat exchanger. I hope to minimize the workload the furnace carries by tightening up the house. I make sure all of the windows are shut tight, and I caulk around them. I’ve weatherstripped the bottom of all of the exterior doors. I’ve stuffed insulation around all of the electrical outlet boxes and plumbing pipes. Every little thing helps to prevent energy waste.