With the colder weather settling in, the last thing you want to have to worry about is sustaining a comfortable home. In an ideal world, you would be able to relax in a warm home and not even concerned with the cold temps. Of course, things don’t work that way, 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 a number of causes for an increase in your energy bill, but we are highlighting a few of the more common ones we encounter.
- 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, that air loses some of its heat. One way to help reduce the loss of heat 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 chance 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 that’s the case, 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. Make sure to take a close look at all of your windows and doors to determine whether you need to add weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Similar to attic insulation, window and door gaps can force your furnace to 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 623-208-6444.