By Theresa Ficazzola Winter is right around the corner, and with it, cold temperatures that will bring a chill to you and your house. The good news is that there’s plenty of time to winterize your home, so you can stay warmer—and save on your home energy bills.
According to the US Department of Energy, the biggest loss of heat in your home is from floors, walls and ceilings, followed by windows and doors.
To find out just how drafty your house is, you can hire an energy auditor to do a thorough inspection of your living quarters. If you want to give it a try yourself, there are some low cost, quick fixes that will still save you money and keep your home warmer.
Basic Home Winterizing Techniques
Start with purchasing a Thermal Heat Detector which can help you determine which parts of your house are drafty. Then begin winterizing with the basics:
- Install a door sweep. Sweeps, which attach to the bottom of doors that lead outside, create a tight seal that prevents drafts, and cold air, from infiltrating your home.
- Place durable weather stripping around doors, windows and window-installed air conditioners, to save 10% – 25% off your heating bills.
- Properly insulate your attic, basement, garage and heating/cooling ducts. Inexpensive expanding foam or caulking insulation can effectively seal holes, spaces or gaps.
- Consider lowering your thermostat temperature. Decreasing it by 7 degrees, especially at night when you’re asleep and under the covers, may take 10% off your heating costs.
- Keep heat from escaping from your water heater and pipes by wrapping an insulation blanket around your water heater and pipe insulation around your pipes. This fix can also save between 4% – 9% of your water heating costs. A third benefit to wrapping pipes is keeping them warm, which can prevent them from freezing during extremely cold weather. And if you set your water heater at 120 degrees, rather than 140 degrees (which is the number many people use), you can save about 10% more.
- Keep your fireplace flue closed when not in use to keep heat in and drafts from coming down the chimney. Just remember to open the flue before starting any fires.
More Advanced Winterizing Techniques
To save even more, consider these bigger, more costly, projects:
- Replace old windows with energy efficient ones. For an additional cost, opt for windows with argon gas and a low emissivity coating to block heat from going through the glass, which will save on both your heating and cooling costs.
- Install a programmable thermostat to automatically regulate when your heating and air conditioning goes on and off. Check out the latest models that allow you to adjust the temperature in your home remotely using your smartphone.
- To save money on both your heating and water bills, consider installing a water pump with a built in thermostat. Simply set the timer about 15 minutes before you get up in the morning, and it will heat your water. The shower water will be hot as soon as you get in, rather than having to let the water run for an extended period of time on cold mornings before it gets warm.
Home Solar Panels Help You Go Green and Save Green
To do your part for a more healthy and cleaner environment in your home and the planet, consider installing solar panels on your roof. Solar panels can save you thousands of dollars on your electric bill, plus they’re safe and environmentally friendly because they don’t utilize fossil fuels or contribute to global warming.
SI Solar, a locally owned and operated solar panel company that installs solar panels for homes in Staten Island and New Jersey, can provide all your home solar panel needs. Contact SI Solar for a free, no-obligation consultation today.
