Tags: North Port AC Maintenance, North Port AC Repair, North Port Air Conditioner Repair, North Port Air Conditioning, North Port Air Conditioning Maintenance
Winter is here and with it comes higher electricity bills due to the increased cost of heating your home. However, keeping a cold house warm doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.
Rather than cranking up your thermostat, we have some cheap and energy-efficient ways to heat up your home. Keep reading for the complete checklist of how to keep your house warm this winter season.
Don’t Block Your Radiators
Many homeowners do not like the appearance of their radiators. This causes people to attempt to hide them with furniture and curtains. Doing this may be costing you extra in energy bills.
Furniture placed in front of radiators absorbs a lot of the heat generated leading to the room not getting properly heated. Leave your radiators unbothered so that heated air can circulate easily.
Another tip to maximize your radiator’s energy is to place aluminum foil behind radiator. This prevents heat from escaping from the house through the wall behind the radiator and instead reflects the heat back into the room.
You should also protect outdoor HVAC units from debris, snow, dust, moisture and animals. You can do so using breathable, all-weather covers. Protecting your outdoor HVAC units will help them function longer without breaking down.
2. Use Traditional Methods To Keep Your Home Warm
Sometimes it’s best to resort to methods that have always worked to keep your home warm. For example, use floor rugs to cover tiled floors and you will be able to walk around your home without your feet freezing. Another tip is to place hot water bottles in your bed or on your sofa’s and they will keep you warm while sleeping or watching TV.
Some people heat their homes using terra cotta heaters with candles. Cover several candles with a terra cotta vase. Allow enough air to circulate so that the candles can keep burning. These heaters help to keep homes warm at a low cost.
You can also make use of the natural heating from sunlight by opening your curtains during the day to let sunlight in and closing them at night to keep heat in.
Other manual ways to heat up your cold house include leaving the door of your oven open once you finish baking to cool it off. The hot air escaping from the oven will heat up your kitchen. Showering with your door open if you are alone in the house allows the steam escaping from your hot shower to heat up and humidify your home. Boling a pot of water also helps heat up your kitchen and moisten the air around your house.
3. Clean Your Filters
Dirty filters are one of the main reasons why HVAC units and furnaces malfunction. Have a routine schedule that ensures you clean your filters at least once a month. There are also ductless systems that you may want to consider investing in.
You should always have spare filters at home in case you need to replace any. Also, check your vents and ducts to ensure they are free from dust and debris. Ventilation blockages lead to inefficient airflow which could make it harder to heat your home.
4. Prevent Mini Drafts
One reason why homes are hard to heat is the small vents that allow hot air to escape and cold air to rush in. During fall you should prepare for winter by checking your home for gaps in doors, windows, and walls that allows air in and out of the house.
Seal these with weather strips and caulking. You should also seal mail slots and dog flaps for the winter season as these are notorious for letting warm air escape from the home.
If your roof has dampers remember to close them for the coming winter. You can also purchase a heat pump or fireplace plug to seal your fireplace whenever it is not in use so as to prevent heat from escaping through it. If possible, you should install double-paned windows as these are excellent at conserving heat by preventing air from escaping from your home.
Check your insulation in the attic to make sure it doesn’t need replacement or maximizing. Hiring a skilled HVAC technician to do the insulation check would be best as they have the experience of finding any insulation problems.
5. Fix or Upgrade Your HVAC System
Schedule preventative maintenance for your HVAC system in the spring and fall. Doing so before winter and summer ensure that the system is functioning properly. It might also be cheaper for you as HVAC technicians are less in demand during these times hence charge less.
Let your technician know of any issues you have noticed with your system so that they can look into it during the maintenance. If you have noticed a sudden jump in your heating bills, then your HVAC system may be damaged and needs to be repaired or upgraded. Investing in a modern HVAC system could save you money in the long run.
Modern HVAC systems benefit from the latest technologies. This makes them extremely user-friendly. For example, you can turn your HVAC on and off remotely. So you can switch it on before you leave and by the time you get home, your cold house is warm.
Modern systems also have climate zone capabilities that smartly direct heated or cooled air where it is most needed in the house so that the home stays uniformly warm or cool.
Keep Your Cold House Warm This Winter
These tips show that you don’t have to pay high heating bills during this winter season. Make sure you conserve as much heat as you can by sealing vents. This helps to keep air out of your home.
Investing in a properly functioning HVAC system is also something else you should look into when temperatures drop.
Don’t struggle with a cold house this season. To have your HVAC and other systems checked for winter, feel free to contact us today.