Let’s say, just for the fun of it, that you have the world’s greatest heating system. One you would put up against anybody’s, that’s how confident you are in its ability to give you reliable comfort, even temperatures from room to room, reduced utility costs, and all the rest.
Okay, so it’s a given: yours IS the world’s best heating system. Now let’s put it to the test and see if it’s worthy of that distinction. Assuming that it’s nice and cold outside, we want you to open every door and window in your home and turn your heating system on at its normal temperature setting. That shouldn’t be too big a challenge for the “world’s best,” right?
No fair, you say? Heating systems are designed to warm things up inside, not outside your home?
In fact, world’s greatest or otherwise, NO heating system is designed to warm up the outdoors. And yet that’s exactly what you’re asking it to do when your home can’t retain the heat generated by your furnace, boiler, heat pump, or electric heating system.
So here are some nifty ways to prevent heat loss and keep all that beautiful warmth indoors, where it belongs:
- Attic insulation – Pardon us for repeating the obvious, but heat rises, and unless your attic is well insulated, it could be rising right up to and through your roof. If it’s been a while since you’ve checked out your attic insulation, now’s a good time to do so or hire a professional for assistance. For best results, the insulation should be at least 6” thick and cover the entire surface of your attic without gaps. Because heat, you see, will find those gaps, and that spells higher utility costs and more wear and tear on your unit.
- Window and Door Insulation – To find out if heat is escaping through or around doors and windows, all you need to do is stand next to one, especially on a cold, blustery day. Short of replacing windows and doors for more energy efficient models, you can add to or replace the caulking and weather stripping, cover your windows with thicker shades or drapes, and so on, to keep more of your heat indoors.
- Wall Insulation – It’s estimated that about 45% of heat loss occurs through your outside facing walls. You can gain a lot of extra rest for your heating system and cut your heating costs simply by insulating the inside of these walls.
- Fireplace, Switches & Outlets – Your fireplace opening is such a large and easy exit point for heat, it might as well have a neon sign on it pointing the way! Short of that, cover it when not in use with airtight glass doors. Warm air can also escape through switches and outlets, and you can find specially designed insulation for these at your local hardware store or home center.
How’s your heating system performing? If it’s been a year or more since you’ve had it checked, now’s the perfect time to contact LBA Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing for our multi-point heating system tune-up and inspection. It’s a great way to prevent heating repair problems while ensuring your system’s safer and more reliable operation. An LBA Hero is standing by, ready to lend a helping hand.
