Utility bills can be a huge drain on your wallet. However, you may have friends or family members who seem to have no trouble heating or cooling their houses and never complain about high costs. You may wonder what the difference is between your house and theirs. With these simple tips, you can give your home a more stable temperature, say goodbye to exceptionally high utility costs, keep your furnace and air conditioner running longer than ever and find out what others do to keep their heating and cooling costs down.
Improved Insulation and Seals
A huge amount of air can be lost through cracks around windows and doors as well as through poorly insulated walls and attics. If your windows and doors are particularly old, you may need to look into replacing them. However, far cheaper options would be to install new weatherstripping around doors, caulk around windows and add another layer of insulation to your attic. If you are unsure where you are losing heat from in your home, you can schedule a cost-effective home heat loss inspection.
Common Leaky Spots
Besides windows and doors, your house may have a few other leaky spots that are common to new and old houses alike. Check around your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans for proper insulation, and be sure to run them no longer than necessary. Additionally, you may need to add insulation to your electrical boxes. Finally, head to your basement or attic to ensure that your ductwork is not leaky or broken.
Programmable Thermostat
Once you have solved your problems with heat loss, you are ready to save money on heating and cooling costs when you are asleep or away from the home. If you work outside of the home multiple hours every day, you can save plenty of money every month by adjusting your thermostat to read five degrees cooler in the winter and five degrees warmer in the summer. Set your thermostat to readjust back to a comfortable temperature 30 minutes before you are scheduled to come home. In the winter, you can save money and sleep better by setting your thermostat in the mid-60s while you sleep.
Regular Maintenance and Repairs
Regular furnace and air conditioning maintenance ensure that your units are working well. You may need only a quick tune-up or some duct cleaning. However, if your furnace is old, you may need to have some parts replaced. With heating repair conroe tx, you can be sure that your furnace is working safely and efficiently no matter how cold it gets outside.
Sunshine and Shade
The sun can work for or against you depending what time of the year it is. In the winter, open up blinds and shades to let the sunshine in to warm your home naturally. In the summer, pull shades in rooms that you are not using.
No matter where you live in the country, you may find yourself dealing with extreme temperatures at some point during the year. Following these five tips can help you experience a more pleasant house and a far friendlier utility bill especially during the months with the most extreme temperatures. Then, you will have more money to spend on the things that really matter to you.