With the temps dropping, the last thing you want to have to worry about is maintaining a comfortable home. In an ideal world, you would be able to relax in a warm home and not thinking twice about what’s taking place outside. Of course, it may not be that easy, and there are a few things that could be taking place in your home that might result in a need for furnace repair or a higher than normal energy bill.
There are a variety of causes for an increase in your energy bill, but these are three of the more common ones we typically hear about at.
- Heat is getting out through the glass of your windows – when hot air comes in to contact with cold glass on your windows, the indoor air becomes cooler. An option to help minimize that impact is to make sure that you close your drapes during the evening hours and only open the drapes on windows that have light coming in during the day.
- Lack of attic insulation – if you live in an older home there’s a chance that it doesn’t have enough insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, which in-turn makes your furnace work harder, and may 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, it’s likely your attic needs some additional 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. Take a closer look at all of your windows and doors to decide whether it requires weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Similar to attic insulation, window and door gaps can force your furnace to work harder, increasing the chance of furnace repair down the line.
Hopefully, these tips help you determine any potential issues in your home that impacts your comfort. Our experts are available to answer any of your questions about furnaces, repair or indoor comfort, give us a call at 309-517-7511.