When temps drop in Columbia, the last thing you want to have to think about is sustaining a comfortable home. Ideally, it would be mindless and you'd be relaxing on the couch soaking in the cozy warmth of your home and not thinking twice about what's happening outside. Of course it may not be that easy, and there are a couple things that could be taking place in your home that could end up with you arranging furnace repair or trying to determine why your bill is so high.
There are a number of causes for an uptick in your energy bill, but these are three of the more common ones we normally hear about at Watts Electric & A/C Inc.
- Heat is leaking out through the glass of your windows - when hot air comes in to contact with cold glass on your windows, that air loses some of its heat. To help lessen the effect that the glass has on your comfy home, be certain that you're closing your drapes during the evening hours and only opening drapes on windows getting light during the day.
- Not enough attic insulation - if your home is older, there's a chance that it doesn't have enough insulation. Of course this means you may be losing heat through your attic, which as a result makes your furnace work harder, and could eventually lead to the need for a furnace repair. You can easily take a look and see if you have the right amount of insulation by looking in your attic to see if the insulation is below or even with the joists. If it is, you likely need more insulation.
- Gaps in windows and doors - sometimes these gaps are more noticeable and visible to the naked eye or large enough to feel drafts sneaking in, but sometimes that may not be the situation. Take a closer look at all of your windows and doors to figure out whether you need to add weather stripping to close up those gaps. Just like it is with attic insulation, window and door gaps could make your furnace work harder, potentially increasing the chance that you'll need furnace repair.
We hope these three tips can help you uncover any problem-spaces in your home that could be hurting the comfort of your home. If you have any questions about furnaces, furnace repair or other ways to combat heat-loss, give us a shout at 601-736-7362.