Is your home leaking energy, and you're worried about how you'll keep it warm without racking up expensive energy bills this winter? You're not alone. Most US homes are considered energy vampires, meaning they consume excessive energy. In fact, 23% of energy used is on items being plugged in on standby, such as cell phone chargers or small appliances that aren't in use.
But when the time comes to crank up the thermostat, how can you do so without spending a fortune?
Upgrade Insulation
While there is no legal limit on how much insulation a residential property should have, it is recommended that all homes have attic insulation with an R-value of at least R-38 (U value of 0.15). The R-value measures the insulation's ability to resist heat flow, and the U-value measures the heat loss or gain rate through a material. In simpler terms, the higher the R-value, the better the insulation's effectiveness.
However, your attic isn't the only place you can insulate. You can also insulate walls, floor pipes, roofs, ceilings, basements, foundations, and crawl spaces, to name a few. Talk to local insulation companies to see what type of insulation is best for your home so you can conserve energy and trap heat within your home instead of letting it leak via the wells, floors, or roof.
Make Energy-Efficient Updates
These updates can be installing new windows or repairing damaged ones to help reduce heat escaping through the windows. You can do this with external doors, too. You can add draught proofing to your windows and doors, too. You can invest in a more energy-efficient HVAC system to reduce usage costs and provide a more efficient energy delivery system. You can take advantage of tax credits and green energy incentives to make more extensive adaptations, including adding solar panels to your home to bring down energy bills and offset the cost of winter heating bills.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Or program it. This can help you avoid excessively heating your home when you often need it to be heated or when you heat it too much. Keep your thermostat between 50 and 55℉. Programmable thermostats allow you to set predetermined times for your heating to come on and make adjustments as necessary, which can be great for avoiding those items when you forget to turn it off; if it's preprogrammed, it will automatically turn off and come on at the times you set it for.
Use Your Ceiling Fan
If you have a ceiling fan, use it in reverse instead of having it collect dust over the winter. By slowly reversing the fan's direction, you can force warm air from the ceiling into the room, thus reducing the need to put your heating on for as long as possible or preserve heat.
It's important to note that you can use the ceiling fan alone without your HVAC on. However, when used in reverse, it doesn't generate heat. Instead, it simply pushes warm air down from the top of the room to help keep you warm. This can be a cost-effective way to distribute heat more evenly in a room.
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