No one likes to pay more for their utility bills than necessary, yet many of our homes are not as energy-efficient as they could be. Implement the tips below to use less energy, reduce costs, and make your home more cozy and comfortable!
Heating Your Home
A comfortable room temperature for most adults is between 65º and 70º. If you are going to be away from your home for more than a few hours, lower the thermostat to 58º. If you have consistent times when you are away, having a programmable or ‘smart’ thermostat is a great investment.
Change the filter on your furnace each month to extend its life and keep it running efficiently.
Be careful not to block heat registers. Move furniture to allow heat to circulate better. Avoid closing too many registers or doors to unused rooms. This can cause restrictions of air movement and cause your furnace to run inefficiently.
Keep the Warm In and the Cold Out
Heating systems replace warm air that is escaping and heat cool air that is entering your home. To keep costs down, focus on eliminating areas where this air exchange occurs.
Insulation — Ensure you have adequate insulation installed in your walls, under your floors, and above your ceiling. If you have an older home that has little or no insulation in the walls, you can have holes drilled and additional insulation blown in. One thing we frequently see in inspection reports is that some insulation in the crawl space has fallen, leaving that area vulnerable to the unheated crawl space air. In the attic, insulation may have been compressed or even moved away from parts of your home. As my Dad recently said to me in a voice-to-text, ‘It wants to be fluffy.’
Doors and windows — Add weather stripping to the sides and top of exterior door frames and install door sweeps on the bottom of the doors to keep cold air out. Open your window shades during the day to let sun in and close them at night to help block the cold. If you don’t have double or triple-pane windows, consider upgrading, even if it’s just one window at a time. Or you can have storm windows added to your existing windows.
Electrical and plumbing — Install outlet and switch gaskets behind the cover plates to prevent conditioned air from leaking out. Use spray foam to seal areas where your pipes exit the home.
Fireplace — When installing a fireplace, consider those that have tempered glass and a heat-air exchange system that blows warm air back into the room. If you have an open fireplace, keep in mind that much of the heat will go up the flue and out the chimney. Either way, make sure and keep the damper closed when the fireplace is not in use.
These are just a few tips to help make your winter a little warmer this year!
Happy Winter Solstice!
