How To Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency In Winter
As evidenced by the recent cold and snow we have received, Connecticut winters can be brutal at times, leaving home owners with expensive heating bills and a load of extra stress.
This blog will discuss energy efficiency tips for your home warm during the cold winter months.
Some of the tips are free to execute and can be used on a daily basis to help CT homeowners increase their savings, while other tips are simple and inexpensive actions to take in order to lock down maximum savings throughout the winter.
Windows & Doors
Most of the heat will escape your house from the windows and doors. If you have yet to contact J.C. Tonnotti to install energy saving replacement windows and door, put it on your To Do home planning list. In the meantime, if you are getting drafts from your windows, cover them with plastic and hand thermal curtains. If your door(s) are the drafty culprits, see where the drafts are coming from and cover with a draft stopper – this can be annoying as you open and close the door but it will help to keep the wind out and keep the heat in.
Adjust The Thermostat
Adjusting the temperature is the simplest way to reduce winter home heating costs. When you and your family are home and awake, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable for you. You can save even more by turning your thermostat back ten or fifteen degrees while you are asleep or out of the house. Invest in warm flannel sheets and a big comforter for your bed, so that you can keep your home cooler while you sleep.
Ceiling Fans Can Be Used To Your Advantage
Ventilation and airflow are essential to becoming more energy efficient throughout winter. If you are lucky and have ceiling fans in your home, technically, you have more control over air ventilation than you might know. Adjust your fan to spin clockwise, which traps heat inside to keep your rooms warmer during cooler months. Turn your ceiling fan on a low power setting to gently push hot air down.
Find And Seal Leaks
During these cold winter months, it is important that you take some time to inspect and seal leaks. Seal the air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes, gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Areas like your attic, garage, doors, and any unused rooms should be closed tightly when they are not in use, because there is no use in heating those areas. As an additional tip, you should add some caulk or weather stripping to seal air leaks around doors and windows. A qualified CT window contractor can also help you test for leaks and seal them, while also adding insulation to your attic and walls if needed.
Take Care of Your Heating System
There are many Connecticut homes that are heated with either furnaces or boilers. Furnaces heat air and distribute this air through the house using ducts. On the other hand, boilers heat water, and provide either hot water or steam for heating. Upgrading to a high efficiency furnace or boiler is an effective way to save money on home heating in the long run. The best way to save money on maintaining your home heating system is to schedule regular service. For those who own furnaces, you can maintain your equipment by replacing your furnace filter once a month. Proper maintenance will extend the life of your heating system.
Before purchasing a new furnace or boiler or modifying your current unit, first make every effort to improve the energy efficiency of your home, and then have a heating contractor size your furnace. Energy-efficiency improvements will save money on a new furnace or boiler, because you can purchase a smaller unit.
JC Tonnotti
The home improvement staff at J.C. Tonnotti Window Company are also Energy Efficient Experts. They sell ENERGY STAR windows and doors and provide services to create energy efficient homes whether they are new homes or old, beautiful, and drafty New England homes.
