Remember to Winterize Your Home to Conserve Energy and Keep Warm

Not looking forward to your winter heating bills? Winterize your home for savings, staying warm and comfy through the cold weather season. With a little fall foresight, a bit of work, and a small investment in preventative maintenance, you can create a more hospitable home environment while dramatically reducing your winter energy costs.

How to Winterize Your Home & Save on Heating

• Change furnace filters regularly.
  Furnace filters don’t last forever. In fact, they should be changed every few months, at a minimum, and more often if you have pets, children, or your home is undergoing renovations. Dirty filters force your heater to work harder to distribute conditioned air throughout your home, restricting airflow, affecting the efficiency of your furnace, and driving up electricity costs. Fortunately, home air filters are inexpensive and easy to change.
• Seal leaks.
  The number of air leaks in the average home is roughly the equivalent of leaving a window open. A bit of caulk, spray foam, weather stripping, or even a rolled-up towel at the base of exterior doors can make a significant difference in the amount of time you’ll have to run your home heating system to stay comfortable when temperatures drop. Check for leaks, gaps, cracks, and holes surrounding doors and windows, electrical outlets, piping, and venting to prevent seepage, and you’ll save on heating and air costs all year long.
• Add storm doors and windows for extra protection.
  Storm doors and windows, designed to keep outside air out, also keep conditioned air inside your home, adding an extra layer of protection against air and thermal transfer through doors and windows. Many of today’s modern options are quite beautiful, adding to the curb appeal and value of your home.
• Adjust your thermostat settings.
  When you leave – don’t pay to heat an empty house. Lower the temperature to 55, saving energy while preventing frozen pipe snafus. This is easily accomplished with a programmable thermostat. Today’s smart learning thermostats do most of the work for you, adjusting settings to your schedule and preferences so your home is always comfortable. Models like the popular Nest learning thermostat cost little more than conventional thermostats, offering substantial savings up to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling costs annually, quickly paying for themselves.
• Take a close look at your water heater.
  Change the default setting on your water heater to 120 degrees and you’ll see a significant reduction in your monthly energy bill. Insulate water heaters in unconditioned spaces for additional savings.
• Give your heating system a little TLC.
  Prevent unexpected breakdowns in winter weather extremes with fall furnace maintenance. A well-tuned system can save you up to 5% on heating, lengthening the lifespan of your system, and bringing hidden problems to light before they require emergency repair.

Don’t let winter weather put a freeze on your finances. Prep your home for the cold weather season with the help of H & H Heating & Air Conditioning. Contact us to schedule pre-season preventative heating system maintenance today.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.delcohvac.com/blog/remember-to-winterize-your-home-to-conserve-energy-and-keep-warm/