Wintry weathers are in and now you would be looking out for some methods to keep your home warm, ensuring full prevention of heat loss from your home at the same time cutting down on your electricity bill. The more efficient way you find to conserve heat the more you save on your electricity bill.
reduce heat loss
Here are five inexpensive tips to reduce loss of heat from your home.
1. Use insulation kits in windows
If you are staying at your home for quite some time or if you have bought a old home with normal windows, you might find some draftiness around it, which can have greater possibility of heat loss. The best option to get rid of this situation is to replace your old windows with energy efficient window. But this could be bit more expensive.
Instead you can opt for a cheaper option. Here are two options, purchase a insulation kit for your window that comprises a plastic film that shrinks as well as a double faced tape. Now apply this tape on the windows outer frame and then fix the plastic film to the tape. Make use of your hair dryer to shrink the film so that it becomes firm. Cut away if there is any excess plastic. This method can increase R-Value by around 90%.
You can also cover up your drafty windows by making use of quilted curtains. This will not only help you to reduce the loss of heat but also makes sure that your room remains warmer.
2. Check electrical outlets and switches
Do not forget to check your electrical outlets and switches in your home. If you happen to find some leaks around them then it’s a matter of concern as these leaks can be a reason for heat loss. You can get away with these problems with two simple methods. Try gaskets or foam outlet sealers that can fit over the existing outlets and switches. This will help to cover the cracks between the edge of the outlet boxes and the drywall. This will fit well at the back of the outlet and switch covers ensuring a proper airtight seal that reduces heat loss.
Another option includes spraying of insulated foam from cans into these gaps. Trim out the extra foam with a knife or blade. These spray foams come with tube adapters which are long enough and makes it easy to apply foam in to the gaps.
3. Check gap in concrete block plates
After going through the windows and switches you also need to check the basement area of your house. First, check along the wood plates that are placed over the concrete blocks by touching them or moving your hand around them. There are chances that you will find gap, which causes heat loss. All you can do to solve this issue is get some acrylic latex caulk from the market and apply some caulk along all the corners where the wood plates join with the block and the floor including places where you find air infiltration.
4. Detect leaks and drafts and consider an energy audit
These days it’s not so difficult to find companies that have expertise in offering energy audit services. But the question that arises is, is it worth to pay $400.00 just for an energy audit? Can this audit be useful to conserve heat loss or help you examine drafts and leaks in your home? Well the answer is affirmative.
A certified firm specializing in offering energy audit services makes use of refined equipment and are well trained to look out for leaks, heat loss and drafts existing in your homes. They provide you with a detailed report stating all the major heat loss areas at your home and the remedies to take care of them.
5. The fireplace
Sitting down in front of your fireplace during cold weather make you comfortable. The screen that covers your fire place’s opening should be kept closed until the fire burns completely. The fire place damper should be kept open for safety reasons but make sure that you don’t sleep with this damper left open whole night as all the warm air from your house may be drawn out by the chimney. Even if you keep the damper closed fully, some warm air still manages to escape as dampers do not seal out the air completely. In such situation get a set of airtight fireplace doors installed to the opening. The gaskets surrounding the frame pack the door perfectly to the face of the fireplace thus preventing the air from escaping out.
Conserving energy and bringing down heat loss and taking all proper measure to reduce your heating bills, will not only keep you relaxed but will also help you save this winter.
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