Really, winter is coming, and energy costs are not going down
So what do you do to keep your home warm and cozy for the next few months, especially in West Virginia? Well, we won’t be asking Ned Stark.
Here are a few tips that can get you started on your way to keeping your home warm and cozy during the next few winter months.
- Change your furnace filter, and tune-up your heating system
- Winterize your A/C
- Turn down your water heater, and winterize your water lines
- Close up the draft, install storm doors – weather stripping
- Bubble wrap those windows
- Change the direction of your ceiling fans
- Clean your gutters
We know, we know – these are quite a few tips; however, they can save you a large amount on your energy bills and keep your home warm during winter.
Change Your Furnace Filter, and Tune-up Your Heating System
Did you know you should be changing your furnace filter every two to four months? This is especially true if you have pets, you or someone in your home smokes, you keep windows and doors open frequently or if dust is building up around your home.
Changing your furnace filter is one of the easiest home maintenance jobs you can do, and it is one the best tasks you can do to save on your energy bills. It will also help purify your home’s air quality.
How do you do this? It’s simple.
- Turn off your furnace
- Locate and remove the service panel
- Slide out the current filter
- Slide in the new filter, and turn your furnace back on
Winterize Your A/C
To winterize your A/C unit, follow these steps.
- Clean the area around and on your A/C unit in a three foot circle: This includes all debris like sticks, leaving, branches that may have fallen.
- Place plywood over the top of your unit
Placing a solid material over your unit will keep all debris and moisture out, while also letting your A/C unit breathe.
If you aren’t going to secure your A/C unit, you should consider cleaning off the snow and ice that forms on your A/C unit once a week.
Turn Down Your Water Heater, & Winterize Your Water Lines
The average water heater is turned up way higher than it actually should be. If you turn down the water heater to 120 degrees, this could save 10% on your energy bill.
Your pipes are susceptible to freezing if the temperature is below 20 degrees fahrenheit. Keeping a dripping faucet can combat this. It eliminates the pressure build up between your pipes and the ice forming from how cold it is, which can stop your pipes from bursting.
Another tip to keep your pipes warm is to open up your counter cabinets around your pipes. This will introduce warm arm.
Close Up the Draft, Install Storm Doors – Weather Stripping
We’ve all felt the draft from under doorways, and we agonize of what to do to stop it. These drafts can waste 5-30% of your home’s heat every year. There are several options to fix this, such as purchasing a draft guard, installing storm doors, or installing a v-strip.
Purchasing a draft guard could be bought online or in any homeware store for less than $20. It can be slipped under the door, which means no more using a towel, and it does not need to be repositioned.
Installing storm doors and windows can reduce the cold air flow and increase the home’s energy efficiency by 45%. These doors can be wood, fiberglass or metal, depending on the material your home was built of or your preference on the material.
Bubble Wrap Those Windows
Do you own an older home? The windows in your house could be worn thin, and the heat can escape. This sounds a bit silly; however, taping your windows on the inside of your home can decrease the heat escaping while still allowing the light to shine through the window.
Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fans
Changing the rotation of your ceiling fans can cut your heating costs by 10%. If your ceiling fans are going counter clock wise, they’re producing cold air while changing them to clockwise will produce warmer air. This will also draw the cold air upward to your ceiling and force the warm air down.
To change the direction of your ceiling fans, press the reverse button located on the metal part of your ceiling fan.
Clean your Gutters
Clean your gutters before it starts snowing so that they rain and snow can drain properly. This will prevent leaks into your home and future roof repair costs that may need to happen if leaks occur.
Did you know the average roof repair cost is $1,200+ every 200 square feet? Yikes!
Elite Custom Builders
At Elite Custom Builders, we understand the importance of keeping your home warm and cozy for the winter. Brace yourselves, winter bills are coming; however, following these few simple steps can save you big this year.
ECB is a premier residential contractor, specializing in building custom homes, home additions and renovations. We serve North Central West Virginia, including:
- Morgantown
- Fairmont
- Cheat Lake
- Clarksburg
- Bridgeport
- Weston
- Elkins
- Davis
- Preston county
- Wheeling
We are now scheduling residential projects for the spring and summer. Give us a call 304.566.7936 to schedule an appointment to talk about your project.