Georgia winters are not as harsh as those in the northern states, but temperatures regularly dip into the 20s and 30s across Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. A few hours of preparation now can save you significant money all winter long.
Get Your Furnace Inspected
Schedule a professional furnace inspection before cold weather arrives. A technician will check for gas leaks, clean the burners, test the thermostat calibration, and ensure your system is running at peak efficiency. This typically costs $75-150 and can prevent breakdowns during the coldest nights.
Seal Drafts and Air Leaks
Walk through your home on a windy day and feel around windows, doors, electrical outlets, and where pipes enter the house. Even small gaps can let in enough cold air to noticeably increase your heating costs.
Weatherstripping, caulk, and foam outlet insulators are all inexpensive fixes. Pay special attention to the attic hatch, garage door seals, and the gap under your front door.
Check Your Insulation
Georgia homes built before 1990 often have inadequate attic insulation. The current recommendation for our climate zone is R-38 to R-60. Adding insulation is one of the highest-return improvements you can make, typically paying for itself in 2-3 heating seasons.
Program Your Thermostat
Set your thermostat to 68 degrees when you are home and 60-62 degrees when you are away or sleeping. If you do not have a programmable thermostat, this is the single best upgrade you can make. Smart thermostats like the Nest or Ecobee learn your schedule and optimize automatically.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Set ceiling fans to rotate clockwise at low speed. This pushes warm air from the ceiling back down into living spaces, improving comfort without increasing your thermostat setting.
Lock In Your Rate
Natural gas prices can spike during cold weather events when demand surges. Locking in a fixed rate before winter ensures your per-therm cost stays the same no matter what happens in the market. Visit True Natural Gas to see our current fixed rate options.