With the colder weather settling in, the last thing you should have anxiety over is sustaining a comfortable home. In an ideal world, you would be able to relax in a warm home and not thinking twice about what’s taking place outside. Of course, it typically doesn’t happen that way, and there are a few items that could be occurring in your home that may require furnace repair or trying to figure out why your bill is so high.
There are a variety of causes for higher utility bills, but we are highlighting a few of the more common ones we encounter.
- Heat is getting out through the glass of your windows – when the warm air in your home reaches windows that are cold from the outdoor air, it impacts the indoor air by reducing some of the heat. One way to help reduce the loss of heat is to make sure that you close your drapes during the evening hours and make sure that your windows are receiving light during the day before opening them.
- Lack of attic insulation – if your home is older, there’s a chance that there is a lack of insulation. This means you could be losing heat through your attic, which forces your furnace to work harder to keep up, and might eventually lead to the need for a furnace repair. It’s not hard to determine if you have enough insulation, take a look and see if the insulation is below or even with the joists. If that’s the case, you’ll likely want to add some more insulation.
- Gaps in windows and doors – as you are taking a look to see if there are any gaps around your doors or windows, keep in mind that they aren’t always easy to notice. Make sure to take a close look at all of your windows and doors to decide whether weather stripping is needed take care of those gaps. As we mentioned with attic insulation, window and door gaps can force your furnace to work harder, increasing the chance of furnace repair down the line.
Hopefully, these tips help you determine any potential issues in your home that impacts your comfort. Our experts are available to answer any of your questions about furnaces, repair or indoor comfort, give us a call at 304-707-0600.