Winter seasons are usually holiday times- a time to relax and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Even though it comes with cold temperatures and high energy bills. As a resident of Charlottesville, it’s important to prepare for the winter and reduce your heating bill using the following tricks and tips.
Proper insulation and sealing of your home.

Areas that are not sealed properly or that are poorly insulated could allow cold air into that space. It’s your job to look for these areas including but not limited to caulk around cables. Items like this must be fixed it as soon as possible. Also make sure you add blow in insulation to certain areas needed to protect external walls from the cold.
Make sure to also inspect windows and doors for cracks around the edges and seal with caulk. Install a door sweep to bottom of doors with weather stripping around movable parts to help control the air space.

Schedule maintenance

A home that is well maintained with regular heating system maintenance will operate effectively and efficiently during the cold season. During maintenance, all component parts will be inspected, cleaned and lubricated to keep them working in great condition. Any possible problems will be detected for you to make immediate repairs before winter sets in.

For homes with a fireplace, it’s imperative for it to be inspected and cleaned. For those who don’t have one, you can look at the option of installing a chimney balloon which will prevent air from escaping.

Update your window drapes

Having heavy drapes are very much effective to prevent cold air from coming in and at the same time, sealing warm air inside the home. You can open the drapes to allow sunlight into the house during the day and in the evening/night, close the drapes. This way you’ll enjoy the warmth of the day’s sunlight while your heater is off thus saving you money on your heating system.

Check the vents

Ensure all vents in the house are open and not obstructed. A misconception of closing vents in unused spaces to improve energy efficient is actually wrong as it causes disruptions internally leading to a higher energy bill. It’s better for all vents to be open for optimal efficiency.

Seal drafty outlets

Electrical points on the exterior walls of the house usually have drafts around them as it’s not usually insulated during installation. Take out the covers and seal small gaps with acrylic latex and in large openings use foam sealant. Use a foam gasket over it before you replace the cover.

Set your thermostat correctly

It’s important to have your thermostat set correctly. For those having a programmable thermostat, you can set it relative to your home’s schedules leading to energy savings all through the winter season.

You can also add sheets with blankets to the beds. While away from home, you can also lower the temperature for additional savings.
The above preventive actions will result in maximum energy efficiency for your home during fall and winter. You can contact us to know more about reducing your energy bills or to schedule your heating system’s maintenance. We’ll help prepare your furnace for the coming winter.