With the colder weather settling in, the last thing you want to have to worry about is keeping a comfortable home. Preferably, you would be spending the winter enjoying the comfort of your home and not even concerned with the cold temps. Of course, things don’t work that way, and there are a few items that could be occurring in your home that may require furnace repair or an unnecessary increase in your utility costs.
There are several causes for an increase in your energy bill, but we will share some of the most common reasons.
- Heat is getting out through the glass of your windows – when hot air comes in to contact with cold glass on your windows, that air loses some of its heat. An option to help minimize that impact is to make sure you’ve closed your drapes during the evening hours and make sure that your windows are receiving light during the day before opening them.
- Lack of attic insulation – with older homes there’s a possibility that it doesn’t have enough insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, which forces your furnace to work harder to keep up, and may eventually harm your furnace. When you go to check out your attic’s insulation, you’ll want to see if the insulation is even or below the joists. If that’s the case, you likely need more insulation.
- Gaps in windows and doors – as you are taking a look to see if there are any gaps around your doors or windows, keep in mind that they aren’t always easy to notice. Be sure to thoroughly look at all of your windows and doors to establish whether it requires weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Just like it is with attic insulation, window and door gaps can make your furnace work harder, potentially upping the chance that you’ll need furnace repair.
Hopefully, these tips help you determine any potential issues in your home that impacts your comfort. If you’d like to speak with our professionals about your furnace or indoor comfort, give us a call at 641-628-3621.