With the colder weather settling in, the last thing you need to be concerned about is maintaining 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 typically doesn’t happen that way, and there are a few items that could be taking place in your home that might result in a need for furnace repair or trying to figure out why your bill is so high.
There are a number of causes for higher utility bills, but we will share some of the most common reasons.
- Heat is getting out through the glass of your windows – when hot air comes in to contact with cold glass on your windows, it impacts the indoor air by reducing some of the heat. To help reduce the effect that the glass has on your cozy home, make sure you’re closing your drapes during the evening hours and only opening drapes on windows receiving light during the day.
- Lack of attic insulation – if your home is older, 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 may eventually harm your furnace. It’s not hard to determine if you have enough insulation, take a look and see if the insulation is below or even with the joists. When the insulation is even or below the joists, 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. Take a closer look at all of your windows and doors to decide whether it requires weather stripping to take care of those gaps. Just like it is with attic insulation, window and door gaps can force your furnace to work harder, making the possibility of furnace repair later even greater.
Hopefully, these tips help you determine any potential issues in your home that impacts your comfort. If you’d like to speak with our professionals about your furnace or indoor comfort, give us a call at 520-200-1048.