During the coldest months of the year, your heating and cooling system will be working overtime to help keep your home and family comfortable. In addition to putting strain on your system, this can also drastically increase your energy bills.
However, just because the temperature has dropped doesn’t necessarily have to mean that you’ll pay higher energy costs, particularly if you take a few steps towards making your home more energy efficient. Here are a few winter home energy efficiency tips that should help you keep your energy bills low and your family comfortable during the year’s coldest months.
ALL ABOUT YOUR WINDOWS
One of the most effective ways to make your home more energy efficient during the winter is to spend some time on your windows. For instance, if you have southern facing windows in your home, keeping your curtains open during the day will allow sunlight to enter your home and serve as a natural heating source. This will allow you to save your heating system for the colder nighttime hours.
Your windows can also allow energy to escape your home, particularly if they’re drafty. Taping a plastic film inside of your window during the winter can prevent air from leaking into and out of your home and can improve the efficiency of your heating system.
PROPERLY SET YOUR TEMPERATURE
A primary cause of reduced energy efficiency during the winter months is failing to properly set your thermostat. Although the temptation to crank up the indoor temperature during the colder months is understandable, it can also spike your energy bills to a surprising degree.
If you are at home, set your temperature as low as possible while still being comfortable. While you are sleeping, you can save a great deal of money by turning your temperature down by 10 to 15 degrees. Homeowners that are out of the home for extended periods during the day can install a programmable thermostat to better regulate temperature and improve energy efficiency.
SEALING AIR LEAKS
As mentioned, air leaks are a serious problem when it comes to home energy efficiency. While your windows are a major source of air leaks, they are not the only area of your home where leaks are a problem. Carefully going through your home and sealing leak points is a great way to achieve winter home energy efficiency.
Adding weather stripping around your doors will eliminate a good portion of the leaks in your home. You also need to examine the ductwork in your home for areas where leaks are likely or presently occurring and then seal these areas with caulk.
HELP WITH WINTER HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY
With just a little bit of time and effort, you can make your home more energy efficient during the winter months. To get that extra peace of mind the LEGACY team can inspect your system, and can install a programmable thermostat which will help you maintain your system so that it is as efficient as possible and help manage your energy bills while keeping you and your family comfortable. Contact us today for more information.
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