Keeping The Harshness Of Winter Out Of Your Home Through Proper Heating And Insulation Practices
Cold weather makes it difficult to get comfortable during the winter months, even when you're safe and sound inside your home. Sometimes, it feels like you can't possibly put on enough layers to get warm after you've come in from a windy, snowy day. As a result, it's easy to give into the temptation to crank the thermostat and fill your house with heat.
However, unless you have disposable income, you probably can't afford to keep the heat on during much of the day. Gas, electric and oil heating costs have a way of sneaking up on you - before you know it, your monthly bill might be cutting significantly into your expenses, and it can become difficult to manage if you're not careful.
With that said, there are a number of helpful practices you can employ to increase the heating efficiency of your home, without letting your heating bill get out of control.
The first and most obvious is to limit the time in which your thermostat is turned up. When you're home for extended periods of time during the day, turn it to a reasonable, comfortable level, and turn it down when no one is home and while you and your family are sleeping. Be careful when turning it down, though - make sure it's not so low that your pipes are in danger of bursting.
You'll also want to make sure that your home is well-insulated. Seal any leaks you find in your home's exterior - around the windows and doors, for example - as well as in any places where pipes or wires come through the walls. Additionally, it might be wise to call your utility company to send someone to check your heater or boiler. If it's not in working order, it might be wasting energy.
How cold does your house usually get during the winter?
