How to Keep the Heat in Your Home from Escaping
The cold weather isn’t over yet, and even spring will bring its fair share of cold weather.
This means your home heating system still has its work cut out for it. It can do its job better when heat is circulated efficiently, keeping your home warm and utility bill low-ish. If you haven’t checked up on your home’s insulation recently, it’s worthwhile to consider when and how you can keep the heat in your home from escaping.
If you’re losing heat, here is how you stop it.
Insulate and Ventilate Cathedral Ceilings
Cathedral ceilings are an exceptional architectural feature, but they aren’t always properly insulated for our climate.
The ceiling leaves little room for insulation, so even finding thin enough insulation that can retain a good amount of heat is a challenge. While older cathedral ceilings usually have fiberglass batts, a much better option is spray foam insulation which has outstanding R-value, meaning it can keep more heat in your home.
Repair or Replace Windows and Doors
Windows and doors are large exit points for heat.
You need them, but you can invest in ways to make them more resistant to the transfer of heat. For example, repairing the old caulking on windows and doors can make a significant difference. Adding weatherstripping can be a large advantage as well.
However, when you have very old windows or doors, it may be better to replace them before investing more work into them. Double and triple-glazed windows offer vast improvements in retaining heat. Higher-end door options, like solid wood, can also do a much better job of keeping the cold air out.
Use Fabrics and Furniture Wisely
Fabrics and furniture can impact the flow of heat through and out of your home.
One smart option is to choose heavy fabric curtains, which can stop your home’s hot air from touching the window glass and escaping. Just be sure to open them when you’re getting direct sun, as this can heat up your home.
In addition, position furniture so that it doesn’t block the flow of heat out of your vents, but so that it can insulate the exterior of your home. Ideally, placement will depend on your home’s layout.
Check on the Duct Sealing
You have several ducts in your home, including the dryer vent, which might leak your warm air out.
Take a look at the sealing around the ducts to ensure that it is not leaking. Some loss of warm air is necessary, but sealing the duct tightly can prevent more of it.
Heat Recovery Ventilators
When you want fresh air in your home but also don’t want to lose heat, consider a heat recovery ventilator (HRV).
These strip the heat out of the stale air before sending it outside. When it draws in fresh air from outside, it uses that same heat to condition the air. The result is that you lose very little heat but still have great air quality.
Losing heat is going to cost you a great deal of comfort during the colder months and money on your heating bills. Following these tips and enlisting the help of a quality roofer will help keep more heat inside your home where it belongs.
The Len Roofing & Remodeling Difference
When we say that we’re a top-quality home remodeling and roofing company that serves the North Shore and surrounding Chicagoland area, we back it up. We do more than simply cover the basics: we show up on time and nail it. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 847-768-6000 or visit our contact page.
