Switching to LED light bulbs is probably one of the first things most homeowners tend to think of when it comes to enhancing their home’s energy efficiency. It’s indeed an effective step to take. However, incorporating more measures that involve the crucial parts of your home such as the doors and windows, plus your insulation greatly improves your energy saving efforts.
Taking note of your electrical gadgets (especially when planning a purchase) like the fridge, cooker, washing machine, and heaters—and making sure that they’re energy star rated-- can also help improve the overall energy efficiency levels of your home while also ensuring that the environment stays free from the harmful effects that come with heavy energy consumption.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Proper air flow is very crucial for the enhanced energy efficiency of your home this winter. All you have to do is to simply adjust your ceiling fan to spin in the clockwise direction; as this helps to pull cold air up and push warm air down to ensure that your home stays warm throughout the cold season.
Though most homeowners tend to forget this vital step once they get through the summer season, it’s still worth banking on your fans this winter season for some warmth and not just the normal cool air.
Set it on low power mode to allow the down flow of warm air. This will help you on your quest to help keep your house warm.
Consider Adjusting or Scheduling your Thermostat
There’s no doubt that winter comes with lots of costs, especially with regard to your energy bills. But it doesn’t have to be that costly. A simple adjustment of your thermostat is all you need to make your home more energy efficient in the winter.
In fact, for every degree you turn the heat down, you’ll save 1% on your heating bill in just 8 hours. If you commit to bundling into warmer clothing, the savings can really add up.
In any case, your warm night clothing and warm bedding are just enough to keep you warm throughout the night. So, consider scheduling your thermostat to keep your house cool when asleep or away from home, and back to the desired warmth level when you’re awake.
Programmable thermostats are relatively inexpensive and can help you remain comfortable. You can usually install them yourself in about an hour.
Ensure your attic and walls are well insulated
Uninsulated walls always account for over 30% of your home’s heat loss; therefore, filling your wall cavities greatly helps to cut down your energy consumption while also reducing your carbon emissions.
Also, ensure that your unfinished attic is well-insulated and sealed to prevent heat loss and from those annoying rodents from getting into your house and out of the cold.
Don’t forget your chimney area as it’s also a perfect point for air escape.
Seal all the Leaks on your Doors and Windows
Doors and windows are the most likely points through which the warm air in your home escapes while the cold air finds its way in. Take some time to inspect these crucial parts of your home (and if possible, get an expert to help you with the inspection) to ensure that all the leak points are sealed.
A simple practice like adding heavy curtains can also help prevent air leaks thus keeping your heating costs at more manageable levels.
Though caulking works perfectly well, it’s a short-term solution that will need to be repeated in the future. The best way to ensure reduced heating costs this cold season is by investing in energy efficient replacement windows.
Clean your Gutter System
Ensure your roof and gutters are clear of any debris to prevent any ice dams from forming on your roof top. Ice dams are known to make homes even colder by blocking the air flow of the roof. This then puts more pressure on your heating system. This, of course, increases your energy bills.
If your gutters are clear, the warm sunshine will melt ice and allow it to drain away, preventing this problem. We will get into more information on ice dams in next week’s blog post, so please check back to read more.
Here are some instructions on how to clear your gutters. After you’ve cleaned the gutters, add the GutterBrush simple leaf guard to help prevent future clogs and the resulting ice dams.
Conclusion
Want to keep your family warm this cold season with manageable heating costs? Simply follow the above simple measures while also keeping track of your energy consumption.
Consider investing in an energy monitor and place it at a centralized place in your house where your entire family can easily access. This gadget helps to keep you in the know with regard to your energy costs. Therefore, it makes a good reminder when you get off your usual bill mark.
Take the initiative of making your energy costs more manageable this winter season by improving your home’s energy efficiency.
Author Bio: Deborah Tayloe is a DIY blogger and freelance writer who contributes to GutterBrush. She’s a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, so she knows a thing or two about battling those cold winter temps. She currently enjoys living in the milder climate of North Carolina with her husband and a toy fox terrier.