Oil prices are falling. Natural gas and electricity costs are climbing. Nobody can predict the direction in which energy costs will head in the future. But one thing is certain: we all pay more than we’d like to heat our homes.
One way to help control monthly heating costs is to turn your home’s thermostat setting down even lower – and put on another sweater. At least that’s the advice my Dad always gave me whenever he saw me eyeing our home’s thermostat, which he consistently pegged at “frigid.”
But I’m all grown up now, with a house of my own. And I don’t want to bundle up and suffer from cold feet and hands just to save a few bucks on the oil or gas bill. I want to be comfortable in my own home! Since I can’t control the price of energy, I looked into other ways to keep my home warmer when the outside temperature drops. Here’s what I found.
• My old windows were costing me a fortune. Windows manufactured more than 10 years ago simply were not made to be energy efficient. Wood frames? Single pane glass? Felt seals? They can’t keep warm in or cold out. Replacing old windows with new, technologically advanced windows can stop up to one-third of the energy in a home from escaping. That’s like taking 90 cents off a $3.00 gallon of oil.
• The same goes for doors. My Dad also yelled at me to “shut the door, I’m not heating the entire neighborhood.” He was right, lots of energy is lost through poorly insulted doors. Wood or metal is a conductor, not a barrier, for thermal loss. I looked for a door with an insulated core, double-pane glass and really tight seals to cut down on the transfer of energy.
• Siding does more than look nice. We all know that attic insulation is a good idea. But did you know your home’s walls also let warmth seep out and cold seep in? Most older homes have very little insulation under the shingles or clapboard, often just a sheet of felt paper. Modern siding is available with built-in insulation that helps create an effective barrier against cold and wind.
• Your roof should be cool. Seriously, a warm roof is a bad sign and can cause problems. First, a warm roof comes from a warm attic, which means you do not have enough attic insulation. If the roof is warm it can melt the snow sitting on it, which turns into water that runs down the roof only to refreeze when it hits the cold air in the gutters. That forms ice dams, which can back water up under the shingles and into your home. Big, expensive trouble. So make sure your attic (and roof) stay cold.
These suggestions all make sense. Certainly they require an investment. But the savings you’ll start to see right away continue long after the renovations are paid off. Plus you’ll save a ton of money on sweaters.
For more ideas on how to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient give us a call toll free at (800) 851-0900. Or visit out website at https://hitechcorp.biz/.