These home comfort tips might help you achieve lower heating bills this winter, and not at the cost of turning the thermostat down. Sometimes it’s simple things that contribute to an uncomfortable home. Each of these suggestions is easy to follow, and helps you achieve a more energy efficient and enjoyable home.
Check the windows. If you find yourself reaching for a blanket you sit near a window, you may have drafts coming from the windows. If you can’t see any cracks, hold a lighted stick of incense near them and watch for wavering smoke. Sometimes windows will leak air if they’re not locked, or there could be cracks or gaps between the frame and the exterior wall.
Look for daylight around exterior doors. Worn weatherstripping lets a lot of air in and out. If you can see daylight, apply fresh weatherstripping. You can also place a draft blocker beneath the bottom of the door, or install a door draft stopper.
Inspect under sinks. Sometimes cold air enters your bathrooms and kitchen from the holes around water pipes. You can stuff them with soft cotton or seal them permanently with expanding foam.
Check the air filter for the furnace. Dirty air filters slow the amount of air going through the air handler, which forces the furnace to run longer and drives up heating costs. Running it with a clean filter improves home comfort because air blows more forcefully, warming the rooms faster.
Give the registers some attention. Excessive dust on the registers or nearby walls may indicate ductwork leaks that undermine comfort in the rooms they serve. Blocking ducts with furniture creates a heat distribution problem. Make sure all registers can deliver the air freely and are fully open.
Use reversible ceiling fans. Ceiling fans with a reversing switch will pull down the warmer air near the ceilings. Make sure the blades circulate in a clockwise direction at a low speed.
Besides these home comfort tips, keeping your furnace tuned and serviced cuts heating bills and improves dependability. For more information, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, serving Lorain-area homeowners.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about home comfort and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area