With the temps dropping, the last thing you should have anxiety over is keeping a comfortable home. In an ideal world, you would be able to relax in a warm home and not worrying about the colder weather outside. Of course, things don’t work that way, and there are a few issues that could be taking place in your home that could end up with you scheduling furnace repair or trying to figure out why your bill is so high.
There are a variety 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. To help reduce the effect that the glass has on your cozy home, make sure you’ve closed your drapes during the evening hours and only opening drapes on windows receiving light during the day.
- Lack of attic insulation – with older homes 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 may 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. When the insulation is even or below the joists, 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. Take a closer look at all of your windows and doors to decide whether weather stripping is needed take care of those gaps. As we mentioned with attic insulation, window and door gaps can make your furnace 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. Our experts are available to answer any of your questions about furnaces, repair or indoor comfort, give us a call at 503-213-4433.