As the temps continue to get cooler, the last thing you need to be concerned about is sustaining a comfortable home. Preferably, you would be spending the winter enjoying the comfort of your home and not thinking twice about what’s taking place outside. Of course, it may not be that easy, and there are a few issues that could be happening in your home that may require furnace repair or trying to figure out why your bill is so high.
There are several causes for an increase in your energy bill, but we are highlighting a few of the more common ones we encounter.
- Heat is getting out through the glass of your windows – when the warm air in your home reaches windows that are cold from the outdoor air, 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 only opening drapes on windows receiving light during the day.
- Lack of attic insulation – with older homes there’s a possibility that there is a lack of insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, which in-turn makes your furnace work harder, and could eventually result in furnace repair. 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. If it is, you’ll likely want to add some more insulation.
- Gaps in windows and doors – sometimes these gaps are more obvious and visible to the naked eye or large enough to feel drafts coming in, but sometimes that may not be the case. Be sure to thoroughly look at all of your windows and doors to determine whether you need to add weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Similar to attic insulation, window and door gaps can make your furnace work harder, potentially upping the chance that you’ll need furnace repair.
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 952-373-0377.