With the winter months nearly here in the Savannah area, you’re likely dreading those high heating bills that accompany the cold season. But don’t despair. If you want to learn how to lower heating bills this winter, you’ve come to the right place. The bonus is that most of these tips will also help lower your cooling bills next summer, as well.
How to Lower Heating Bills
- Replace or install weatherstripping. Some 7 to 12 percent of your home’s heat may be escaping through leaky doors and windows. In most cases, fresh weatherstripping on movable parts of doors and windows will stop that heat loss, giving your hard-working HVAC equipment a break.
- Seal leaks in your home’s exterior envelope. Many homes in the Savannah area have significant air leaks that allow heat to escape in the winter and infiltrate in the summer. These often occur at places where pipes, vents or electrical lines penetrate the walls, or at spots where two building materials meet, such as drywall and foundation. Depending on the size and type of leak, use caulk or expanding spray foam to plug leaks and save energy.
- Buy a portable heater. If your family tends to congregate in one spot during the evening, such as the main TV room, turn down the thermostat a few degrees for the whole house and use a portable space heater to heat the room where people are.
- Add insulation in the attic. Adding insulation in attic spaces is relatively simple but pays big dividends when it comes to making sure the heat you’re paying for stays in your living spaces. Also, make sure the attic hatch is well insulated and sealed since this is a common source of air infiltration between the attic and living spaces.
- Install a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to set energy-saving temperatures ahead of time to automatically lower the heat when nobody’s home.
Figuring out how to lower heating bills in your Savannah area home isn’t rocket science. For more help heating your home efficiently and comfortably, please contact us at Byrd Heating and Air Conditioning.
