Winter weather has arrived! With the cold temperatures outside, households are turning the temperatures up inside to stay warm. Make sure you are not throwing money out the window by having an inefficient home. Below are some of A1’s top tips to increase home efficiency this winter.
Adjust the Temperature Throughout the Day
An average Canadian household keeps their home at 21 degrees. Lower the temperature to 16-18 degrees when you are sleeping or away from home. Decreasing the temperature will lower your energy bills but will not affect the humidity, air circulation or overall comfort of your home. Programmable and smart thermostats can be purchased and installed to automatically adjust the temperature throughout the day in order to maximize home efficiency without sacrificing comfort.
Additional Tip: Lower the thermostat in advance of parties at your home. Extra people in confined areas of the house will increase the ambient temperature. Make sure everyone stays comfortable by lowering your thermostat!
Draft Proof Your Home
Broken or damaged seals around doors and windows allow warm air to escape and let cold air in. Replacing weather-stripping, gaskets and caulking are one of the most cost-effective ways to increase home efficiency.
Ideally, every home should have energy efficient windows, but they are costly to buy and install. If you have older windows and don’t have the money to replace them, use shrink film. This plastic window insulation is easy to install and will decrease any drafts you may feel.
Maintain your Heating System
The best way to increase home efficiency is to have your furnace inspected. A yearly tune-up and preventative furnace maintenance can improve the performance of your unit by up to 20 percent. A certified technician will also be able to diagnose any problems they find within your heating system early on; thereby avoiding costly repair bills later.
Don’t forget that 1” air filters should be inspected monthly and replaced when needed (a MAC filter needs to replaced once a year). Dirty and clogged filters restrict airflow and can cause a variety of problems that could lead to expensive heating repair bills!
A1 Air Conditioning & Heating has been designing and installing commercial and residential heating and air conditioning comfort systems for 50 years. We started as a family business in 1967, and we are still family owned and operated today.
Contact us to book your annual furnace tune-up and keep your home efficient this winter!
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