Keep Warm and Save on Your Energy Bill This Winter Season
The weather is changing and temperatures are dropping! That snow and ice has already hit some places pretty hard this year and we have more to come. Yes, you can stay warm by layering your clothes, covering up in blankets or turning your heat way up, but that doesn't help with your electric bill. Here are some tips to help you not only keep your home nice and toasty, but save you some money as well.
1. Check Your Heating System.
Be sure to check your air filter as well as all of the ducts in your house. A clean air filter will reduce the amount of energy used to make your heater work and will reduce the amount of dust in your home. When taking the filter out, it would be a good idea to use a handheld vacuum to clean up some of the excess dust that didn't stick to the filter. Vacuum out the ducts as well and seal any loose connections with metal-backed tape.
2. Don't let your pipes freeze.
When the temperature outside drops below freezing, you have the risk of your pipes freezing and possibly bursting. To help prevent this, be sure to cover any exposed pipes with foam rubber sleeves that you can find at your local home improvement stores. Pay special attention to any pipes that are in an insulated basement or a crawl space under your house.
3. Seal Any Leaks or drafts.
Check for any places where cold air could be seeping in. Seal all of your windows inside and out with caulking. You can purchase temporary silicon caulk that will break loose easily when you are ready to open your windows in the spring. You can also place draft guards on your doors to keep that cold air out. Or maybe its time to replace those windows and doors, call your Lake of the Ozarks home repair guys at All-Star!
4. Turn On Your Fans.
You may think fans are supposed to cool your home, and that is the purpose during the summer. However, they can also be used during the winter months to keep the warm air down. You know that hot air rises and by reversing your fans, the blades will push the air down keeping the warmth at your level and in circulation. A trick to knowing if your fan is set for winter, the blades will be moving clockwise.
5. Close Off Unused Space.
Do you have any rooms in your house that don't get used very often? Maybe a spare bedroom or a home office. If so, close off those areas, shut the vents in those rooms and close the doors. This will keep your warm air where you are and your heater won't have to work as hard to keep the entire house heated.
6. Take Advantage of Cooking.
With the cold weather comes the holiday season, which typically means a lot of cooking and baking. Your oven can be used as a heat source; while you are cooking, lower your thermostat. This will help save on your electric bill and you can still stay warm!
So if you are one of those people that piles 5 blankets on at night because you don't want to pay a high electric bill, don't fret anymore. You can keep warm without spending a fortune by following these simple tips. While preparing you home for the winter, if you find any issues that you can't fix yourself, give All-Star Home Renovations a call! We do siding, roofing, windows, doors and more!
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Adam : 573-286-2569
adam@all-star-renovations.com
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