With the colder weather settling in, the last thing you need to be concerned about is maintaining a comfortable home. In an ideal world, you would be able to relax in a warm home and not even concerned with the cold temps. Of course, it typically doesn’t happen that way, and there are a few things that could be occurring in your home that might result in a need for furnace repair or a higher than normal energy bill.
There are a number of causes for higher utility bills, 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, it impacts the indoor air by reducing some of the 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 – if you live in an older home there’s a likelihood that there is a lack of insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, causing your heating system to work harder than necessary, and could eventually harm your furnace. You can easily check if you have enough insulation by looking in your attic to 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. Make sure to take a close look at all of your windows and doors to establish whether you need to add weather stripping to take care of those gaps. As we mentioned with attic insulation, window and door gaps can make your furnace work harder, making the possibility of furnace repair later even greater.
These are just a few tips to help you determine any potential problem areas in your house that could cause heat loss. Our experts are available to answer any of your questions about furnaces, repair or indoor comfort, give us a call at 602-832-7808.