Do you need to light candles, burn incense, and make yourself some green tea before opening your heating-related utility bills? Welcome to the club, as you’re far from alone.
Then again, isn’t that a club you would just love to quit and drive those energy bills right back down where they belong? Of course you would, and we’re to help you do just that with
some timely tips for keeping the heat in, and the cold air out:
Check windows and doors for air leaks.
Here’s how: light a candle and move up, down, and sideways around window and door frames. As long as the flame remains upright, losing heat is escaping. If, however, the flame turns horizontal, either heat is escaping or cold air is coming in. And if that’s the case, it’s time for some new caulking and/or weather stripping.
Do you have a fireplace?
If so, and you use it consistently, it would behoove you to have annual service performed and, while the service company is at it, to be sure the damper is closing properly and snugly. Otherwise, you have a free-fly zone for heat to escape up and out of the chimney.
Do you also have a hatchway to your attic?
If so, when was the last time you checked the weather stripping around it to ensure heat is not escaping you’re your attic?
If you don’t feel qualified and or confident enough to do so yourself, hire someone you trust to check all holes in your attic for pipes, ducts, and vents to be sure they are properly sealed.
And while you or someone else is in the attic, how’s your insulation holding up? If it looks pretty beaten down and/or shriveled up, it might be time to beef things up or replace it entirely.
Here’s another common cause of soaring energy bills: an aging furnace, or one that hasn’t been properly maintained from one year to the next. In fact, if it’s been a year or more since you last had your heating system cleaned and inspected, we invite you to contact Eagle Service Company now. That one step alone can take the fear and loathing out of opening your utility bills!
