During the winter months, one of your top priorities for your home should be how to retain heat at a low cost. There are a lot of small slips around the house that can have your home hemorrhaging heat here and there which can really add up and put a strain on your furnace. The more power your furnace is exerting to crank the heat up across your entire home will end up costing you a lot with your heating bill.
Be sure to invest in heat resistant materials, and also do a quick check around your home to make sure there is no structural damage to the house that would let in winter winds. Here are a few other ways your house can lose heat during the winter time:
1. Fireplaces and Chimneys
As much heat as they can bring to your house when they are on and operating, they can also provide a huge hole to your house that lets in strong winter winds. When you do not have a fire lit in the chimney, it is a good idea to have some sort of cover over the fireplace to prevent your home’s heat from escaping and keeps the cold air out.
2. Open Clothes Dryer Ducts
Dryer ducts leading directly outside of your home can be another liability when the seasons change. Your clothes dryer also connects to an exhaust port that vents hot air outside. When it is not in use, cold air can seep inward and cool off your house. A quick solution to this is to place a dryer vent over the exhaust vent to let out excess hot air while preventing winter air from coming in.
3. Window and Door Drafts
Windows and doors can be the main sources of hot air exits, especially if they are old and slightly decrepit. A few solutions to prevent your windows from letting cold air seep into the home include: keeping your curtains closed, especially if they are large and insulated; using heavy plastic wrap during the winter months; weather stripping your windows with vinyl foam tape as well as caulking the window frames. Weather stripping and re-caulking door frames are also great ways to keep the heat in.
4. Roof and Attic Pitches
The attic is an often overlooked part of the house that can lose the home a lot of heat if it goes unchecked. Poor insulation and attic damage can have the house hemorrhaging a good amount of heat and can cause drafts through roof pitches. Make sure insulation is properly installed and ensure that everything is well-maintained and fixed.
5. Air Conditioner Window Units
Keeping cool in the summer months is essential, but your air conditioner window units can be a liability during the winter months when it puts a large gap in your window. Ensuring that there are fewer gaps between the window panes and unit itself is a helpful way of minimizing the outgoing heat.
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