As the temps continue to get cooler, the last thing you should have anxiety over is sustaining a comfortable home. Preferably, you would be spending the winter enjoying the comfort of your home and not worrying about the colder weather outside. Of course, it typically doesn’t happen that way, and there are a few issues that could be happening in your home that could end up with you scheduling furnace repair or an unnecessary increase in your utility costs.
There are a number of causes for higher utility bills, 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 that you close your drapes during the evening hours and only open the drapes on windows that have light coming in during the day.
- Lack of attic insulation – if your home is older, there’s a possibility that there is a lack of insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, which in-turn makes your furnace work harder, and could eventually lead to the need for a furnace repair. When you go to check out your attic’s insulation, you’ll want to see if the insulation is even or below the joists. When the insulation is even or below the joists, you’ll likely want to add some more insulation.
- Gaps in windows and doors – as you are taking a look to see if there are any gaps around your doors or windows, keep in mind that they aren’t always easy to notice. Take a closer look at all of your windows and doors to decide whether it requires weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Just like it is with attic insulation, window and door gaps can force your furnace to work harder, potentially upping the chance that you’ll need furnace repair.
Hopefully, these tips help you determine any potential issues in your home that impacts your comfort. If you have any questions about furnaces, furnace repair or other ways to combat heat-loss, give us a call at 949-317-4175.