Have you been shocked and/or horrified by seeing your utility bills this winter? While a slight jump in costs is not abnormal, a sharp increase may be due to an inefficient central heater. It’s not as though your heater has something wrong with it, however, it may just be forced to work harder to maintain the temperature due to a number of heat leaks found throughout your home. You can make your home’s heating system and dramatically reduce your utility bills all year round by eliminating these heat leaks at their sources. Don’t know where to find them? Check out these suggestions
Weather Stripping
Weather stripping is a flexible plastic material that’s found around doors and windows. Over the years, this plastic ages, dries, and cracks, losing its effectiveness. It may not seem like much but estimates say anywhere from 7-12% of all heat loss in homes happens around windows and doors. Replacing this every few years can keep your home running at maximum efficiency.
Door Thresholds
Take a look at your door threshold. Do you see daylight underneath? If so, you’re losing air you’ve paid to heat. Much like weather stripping, you can easily replace a worn threshold or even lower an existing one to help it close the gap and keep the air sealed inside.
Exterior Wall Holes
They may not be immediately visible but every home has holes that run through the drywall, usually around plumbing and light fixtures. Using some form of caulking around these holes to seal them off helps your home’s insulation work properly and prevents any air from escaping and keeps your home more efficient and your bills down.
Attic Insulation
While we work hard to check our insulation in our walls and make sure everything we frequently see is sealed down, many people often forget that the vast majority of heat loss in your home occurs in the attic. Even in attics that are well-insulated, the access door is a common source of heat loss. Make sure it forms a good seal, and lock it down tight if it doesn’t sit flat. Likewise, use insulation to make sure any pipes or other places where air can escape from the home are plugged.
Thermostat
An old thermostat can lose its effectiveness when it comes to maintaining a temperature in your home, costing you money. However, even a new thermostat still has a number of disadvantages in comparison to a smart thermostat. Programmable thermostats have a number of advantages, including the ability to turn themselves on and off when they know you will be home, allowing you to only keep your home warm when you are there, saving you a bundle. The newest smart thermostats even learn your preferences. The savings are well-known, with many owners seeing savings of anywhere between 12-15% per month.
If your furnace or central heating system needs a repair or maintenance, call Donmar Company Heating & Cooling as soon as possible. Our Northern Virginia HVAC experts are trained in all of the latest heating and air conditioning technology, and can get your system working in top shape quickly and affordably. We make sure every service we provide, from minor repairs and maintenance to complete system replacements, are all performed to the highest standards of quality, ensuring your complete satisfaction.
If you need a heating maintenance or repair service, call Donmar Company Heating & Cooling today at 703.457.8676.