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Heating your Fort Payne, AL home can be expensive in the wintertime, especially on some of those chilly nights that we often experience. A smart way to save money on your heating expenses is to find ways to prevent heat loss. We’ll cover some heat loss methods as well as other ways to boost the efficiency of your heating system.
Sealing Up Cracks and Gaps
Even new homes have gaps and cracks around areas like doors, windows, the foundation, etc. These small spots allow heat to escape, forcing your heating equipment to run more frequently to keep up with your temperature demands. You can seal these areas using caulk, weather stripping, and spray foam. Not only will you see a significant difference in your energy bills, but you may also find that the temperature in your home is more consistent throughout.
Insulation
Even if you have a newly built home, don’t assume it has enough insulation. A lot of home builders skimp on insulation to cut costs. Schedule a professional to perform an assessment to figure out if there are areas of your home that will benefit from insulation upgrades. This can include your attic, the exterior walls, the walls of your garage, and the basement.
There are various types of insulation to choose from. Our team will consider your insulation needs, your budget, and the R-value of the product you’re considering. R-value refers to the ability of a specific type of insulation to resist heat loss. The higher the R-value that a product has, the better it performs.
You can insulate other areas of your home as well, such as your plumbing system, to prevent heat loss. This keeps heat from escaping your home, ensuring you can source hot water in all your fixtures. This will also reduce the amount of time that your water heater must run, saving you money. This also prolongs the lifespan of your water heater. You can also insulate your water heater tank. When there’s adequate insulation, your equipment won’t need to run frequently to maintain a specific temperature inside the tank.
Utilize Ceiling Fans
If you have ceiling fans installed throughout your home, don’t feel like you can’t use them in the winter. Just make sure that you have them set in a clockwise direction. This will allow warm air that rises to circulate back down into the room where you’re located instead of being wasted up near your ceiling. You may be able to adjust your thermostat by a couple of degrees to minimize the use of your heating equipment as well with this method.
Schedule a Ductwork Inspection
On average, your ductwork should be inspected and cleaned once every three to five years. This inspection process can alert us to any damage to your ductwork that may be allowing conditioned air to escape. Having your ducts sealed can remove these small cracks and gaps. You can also have sections of your ductwork replaced if extensive damage is present.
Having your ductwork cleaned can promote a more efficient HVAC system. If a lot of debris or dust has accumulated in your ducts, this can prevent adequate airflow, leading to an uncomfortable home and, potentially, equipment strain.
Maintain a Tight Envelope
In addition to sealing gaps and cracks in your home to minimize heat loss, you should try to maintain as tight of a home envelope as possible. Keep windows and doors closed as much as possible on very cold days. Make sure your drapes or blinds are closed to prevent drafts and keep warm air from escaping. You can also buy protective window plastic that can be used to keep warm air inside your home.
If you would like to learn more about preventing heat loss in the Fort Payne, AL area, reach out to Bryant's Heating & Cooling for assistance. We also offer heating and cooling equipment installation, maintenance and emergency repairs. We can test and clean your ductwork and address indoor air quality concerns using whole-house humidity control equipment and purification equipment. We also perform light commercial HVAC work.
To ensure that you have a comfortable winter, contact Bryant's Heating & Cooling in Fort Payne, AL today to schedule an appointment.
