With the temps dropping, the last thing you need to be concerned about is keeping a comfortable home. Preferably, you would be spending the winter enjoying the comfort of your home and not thinking twice about what’s taking place outside. Of course, it typically doesn’t happen that way, and there are a few things that could be taking place in your home that could end up with you scheduling furnace repair or an unnecessary increase in your utility costs.
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 you’re closing your drapes during the evening hours and make sure that your windows are receiving light during the day before opening them.
- Lack of attic insulation – if you live in an older home there’s a likelihood that there is a lack of insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, which forces your furnace to work harder to keep up, and might eventually lead to the need for a furnace repair. 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. When the insulation is even or below the joists, you likely need more 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 you need to add weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Similar to attic insulation, window and door gaps can make your furnace work harder, making the possibility of furnace repair later even greater.
We hope these three tips can help you identify any problem-spaces in your home that could be inhibiting the comfort of your home. Our experts are available to answer any of your questions about furnaces, repair or indoor comfort, give us a call at 760-784-9034.