As the weather gets colder, you’ll start to see your heating bills rise. When you heat your home efficiently, you’ll reduce your energy bills while remaining comfortable all season long. Use these tips to keep your home warm this winter.
Eliminate Drafts to Heat Your Home Efficiently
Cold drafts entering the home make it difficult to stay warm. Feel around the openings of doors and windows on a cold and windy night. You can even follow the perimeter of windows and doors while holding a lit candle to see if the flame flickers. Apply weatherstripping or fill in gaps around the doors and windows with caulk to seal off any drafts. Also, be sure to seal cracks and gaps in the foundation.
Clean and Clear the Vents
Forced air vents push air around the house, but they can’t do their job well when they’re blocked. Move furniture away from vents. Vacuum dirt, dust, and pet hair from inside the vents to help your furnace operate at its full potential and heat your home efficiently.
Change the Filter
Check the filter on your furnace before you turn it on for the season and at least once a month during winter. Change the filter every three months or more often if it is visibly dirty. A dirty filter impacts efficiency and makes the furnace work harder, which costs you more money each month. Have an HVAC professional come at the beginning of the season to do a tune-up and inspection.
Add Insulation to Heat Your Home Efficiently
It’s hard for your house to stay warm if you don’t have enough insulation to keep the heat inside. You should have at least 12 inches of insulation around the walls and in the attic. Add more insulation as needed and your home will stay warmer.
Run Ceiling Fans
This small tip can make a world of difference. Run ceiling fans clockwise during the winter months. The blades will push the warm air downwards from the ceiling, which helps to heat your home efficiently.
Use the Sun
The sun is a free source of energy, so use it to help heat the house. Open your curtains on south-facing windows during the day to let the sun’s warm rays in as an extra source of heat. Close them when the sun goes down to trap that heat inside and protect from cold air coming inside. Use blackout or energy-saving curtains for maximum efficiency.
Control the Thermostat
Invest in a programmable thermostat so you can adjust the temperature at different times during the day. Set the thermostat as low as you can while still being comfortable at night, and have it set to warm up shortly before you wake for the day. Set the temperature lower when you’re away from home. Turning down your thermostat is one of the best ways to save on heating this winter.
Heat Your Home Efficiently with the Help of a Space Heater
Your HVAC system works hard to heat the whole house. If you spend most of your time in one area, it’s likely more economical to heat a single room instead of the entire house. Lower the thermostat and use a space heater to supplement the heat in one room. This works best in large homes with rooms that are rarely used. Never leave space heaters unattended or plug them into extension cords due to the increased risk of fire.
Reifsteck Home Inspections provides home inspection services to Champaign, Illinois, and the surrounding area. Contact us to schedule an inspection for your new home.