How am I Able to Lower Heating Costs During the Fall and Winter?
As any homeowner will tell you, heating and energy costs take a fairly huge bite out of your budget. As the heat goes on during the later fall and winter months, those bills start to creep up.
It stands to reason that you should try to take steps to save on those heating costs. But how do you go about it? Read on.
Use the Ceiling Fan When the Temperatures Drop
For whatever reason, we tend to associate ceiling and standalone fans with trying to keep cool in the summer months. But circulating air means that your system has to work less hard to make your indoors comfortable, no matter what the season.
Keep that ceiling fan going to move the warm air throughout your home.
Apply Window Film and Make Sure Windows are Properly Sealed
It’s surprising how much of your heat actually escapes through closed windows and doors, which is why you need to do everything that you can to make sure that your home is airtight.
Applying a film (there are lots of varieties available, depending on your need, taste and budget) can let light through, but keep the heat inside the house where it belongs during the winter months.
Glass is solid, but not 100 percent impermeable, which means left on its own, air can still pass. Help create an even stronger seal by making sure that windows and doors are well caulked.
Raise Exterior Door Thresholds
Over time, your home may have settled, which means that there may be an opening between exterior doors and the outside. Even if it is small, it permits warm air to escape and cold air to get in. Seal that area by installing a simple adjustable threshold, which will effectively raise it to the right level.
Close the Chimney Flue or Block the Warm Air from Escaping with a Chimney Balloon
You may have a major escape hatch for hot air in your home and not even know it. Over time, the chimney flue can warp and not close all the way. Inspect it to make sure that it closes completely.
A chimney balloon (sometimes called a chimney pillow) is a device that goes inside your chimney and blocks hot air from escaping, while keeping cold air where it belongs- outside!
Get a Furnace Tune Up
Having your furnace professionally serviced means that it will be running in optimal shape. This translates into energy savings, which translates into cost savings for you.
Let in Sunlight by Keeping Curtains Open
In the summer, you keep curtains closed to keep the hot sunlight away. In the winter and fall, let the sun shine in. This natural source of heat can raise your interior temperature.
Need a professional opinion on how your Reading, PA home’s heating system can save you money? We can help. Call The Plumbing Works at (610) 929-8860 today.
