When I moved into my first place, I couldn't believe how dirty everything was all the time. I found myself dusting and mopping continuously, only to deal with a fresh layer of grime later. After awhile, I realized that the problem was blowing straight out of my air ducts. My ventilation lines were so dirty that it was spreading grime through my house every single time the air clicked on. Fortunately, I called an HVAC contractor who was able to clean my vents to a gleaming shine. I know how big of a difference cleaning up your ventilation system can make, which is why I want to spread the word.
Rick Wells
If you live in an area with cold winters, and you have an electric heating system, you can expect your energy bill to increase during the winter. However, there are many things you can do to minimize just how high it gets. For example, turning your thermostat down can save you about one percent of your energy bill for each degree you lower it for more than eight hours. Wear warm clothes or use blankets instead. Learning tips and tricks such as this will help you to keep your energy bill from skyrocketing this winter. Here are three tips for keeping your energy bill low.
Have Your Ductwork Sealed
Ducts are tubes in your home that carry the heated air from your heater to your vents, helping to distribute this warm air evenly through your home. Unfortunately, over time, these ducts can develop holes in them, or begin to split at the seams. When this happens, the hot air that should be going to a vent escapes, failing to properly heat the rooms where you need the heat to go. Your heating device then produces more heat to heat the space, which uses more electricity. Sealing the ductwork can prevent this and save up to 17 percent on your heating bill. A heating repair contract can help you seal ductwork, or you can do it yourself with these steps:
Have Your Heating Appliance Inspected and Repaired
Another way to keep your energy bill low this winter is to have your heating appliance serviced, cleaned and inspected. If there are any issues noted during the inspection, have them repaired. Having your heating appliance serviced, cleaned and inspected helps extend the lifespan of the unit, while ensuring it is functioning properly. If parts within the unit are not functioning properly, your heating appliance may be working harder or longer than it should to heat up your home, both of which drive your energy costs up.
Have Your Windows Recaulked
The last tip for keeping your energy bill as low as possible this winter is to have your windows recaulked, if needed. The easiest way to tell if the caulking on your windows is failing is to hold a piece of string or a lighted candle around the interior frame of your window on a breezy day. Move the string or candle around the entire rectangle shape. If you notice the string blowing or candle flickering, air is entering your home from outside through the gap between your window and window framework. This means the caulking is wearing. Follow these steps to recaulk windows yourself:
Having your ductwork sealed, having your heating appliance inspected, cleaned and repaired and having your windows examined and recaulked are all great ways to decrease your energy usage this winter. This can help prevent you from paying more than you need to to keep your home warm. To contact an HVAC company for cleaning and repairs, check out a site like http://www.capefearair.com.