With the colder weather settling in, the last thing you want to have to worry about is sustaining a comfortable home. It would be great to be lounging around on the couch enjoying the cozy warmth of your home and not thinking twice about what’s taking place outside. Of course, it may not be that easy, and there are a few things that could be happening in your home that could end up with you scheduling furnace repair or a higher than normal energy bill.
There are several causes for an increase in your energy bill, but these are three of the more common ones we typically hear about at.
- Heat is getting out through the glass of your windows – the glass on your windows are cold from the outdoor temps and when the warm air makes contact, the indoor air becomes cooler. An option to help minimize that impact is to make sure that you close your drapes during the evening hours and only open the drapes on windows that have light coming in during the day.
- Lack of attic insulation – with older homes there’s a likelihood that there is insufficient insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, causing your heating system to work harder than necessary, and might eventually harm your furnace. It’s not hard to determine if you have enough insulation, take a look and see if the insulation is below or even with the joists. If it is, it’s likely your attic needs some additional insulation.
- Gaps in windows and doors – it’s not always easy to tell by just taking a quick look if there are large gaps. Be sure to thoroughly look at all of your windows and doors to establish whether weather stripping is needed take care of those gaps. Similar to attic insulation, window and door gaps can make your furnace work harder, increasing the chance of furnace repair down the line.
We hope these three tips can help you identify any problem-spaces in your home that could be inhibiting the comfort of your home. If you’d like to speak with our professionals about your furnace or indoor comfort, give us a call at 478-202-3170.