Deck the home with weather stripping and insulation!
Thanksgiving is just a couple short weeks away. The holiday season will be in full swing! And, while the holiday season can be a great time of year for food and family, it can be challenging financially.
As we’ve already discussed in previous blog posts, the cost of heating your home during the colder months is going to make up the better part of your utility bill spending. That’s why it can be helpful to do small maintenance tasks around your home to save where you can.
Perform a home energy audit/assessment. This can be the first step to creating a more energy efficient home. If can give you a good baseline and indicate where your home may be underperforming in the efficiency department. You can perform one yourself or hire a professional.
Seal air leaks. These may be discovered during a home energy audit. Make sure, whether they are in your attic or around your windows and doors, you are taking the appropriate steps to successfully close those leaks. Sealing leaks can result in shorter run times for your heating and air conditioning equipment and less energy consumed. Less energy consumed means more money in your pocket. Air leaks can be sealed with insulation or weather stripping. Ask a professional which is the best solution for your particular situation.
See if your HVAC equipment is compatible with a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are preferable to non-programmable models. Want to know why? Programmable thermostats provide increased temperature accuracy, greater comfort and energy savings through scheduling capabilities. Plus, there are Wi-Fi enabled models that can give you remote access to your thermostat – you can make adjustments away from the physical box on the wall.
Lower the temperature your thermostat is set at before holiday get-togethers. Did you know that the more people are in your home, the warmer it feels? Makes sense when you think about it – more body heat. AND, if you are the one cooking the turkey, the oven can provide additional heat.
Schedule a furnace clean and check with your local HVAC contractor. This is by far the BEST thing you can do for your furnace during the fall. Nothing puts a damper on a party more than a “no heat” call. And, the cleaning tasks that your contractor will perform may give your furnace a boost in efficiency. Do some research and hire a local qualified HVAC contractor.
Are you hosting the holidays this year? What other things do you do around the home to get it ready for the holidays?
Like this post? Share it!