Winter can be a lovely time of year when it gets all cosy and comfy and you can stay indoors where it’s nice and warm. However, that can also be a problem because to make your home warm, you’ll usually have to put some form of heating on, and that’s going to cost money and it might not be great for the planet either. The good news is that there are ways to make your home more energy efficient this winter so you can save money and the planet at the same time – if that sounds good, keep reading to find out more.
Upgrade To A Programmable Thermostat
One of the easiest ways to save energy this winter is to install a programmable thermostat which is a handy little gadget that means you can schedule your heating to go on and off when you want, even if you’re not at home.
You can programme the thermostat to lower the temperature while you’re at work or sleeping, and then warm things up just before you get home or wake up, and that means you’re never going to heat an empty house and you can still enjoy a toasty environment when you need it – perfect! If you go for a smart thermostat, you can change the temperature through an app on your phone, making it even easier to save energy.
Clean The Ducts
Another thing that’s often overlooked when it comes to making your home more energy efficient is cleaning your HVAC system’s ducts, ideally by hiring a professional like the ones at https://www.jcs-homeservices.com/duct-cleaning-leesburg-va/. The fact is that over time, dust, dirt, and debris can build up in your ductwork, restricting airflow and making your heating system work a lot harder than it really needs to (and that’s going to take a lot more energy to do).
When you have your heating ducts cleaned, you’ll find your home heats up a lot more quickly, and it’s going to take less energy to do it. You should be able to lower your thermostat as well, and that’s going to mean more money saved, so all in all, duct cleaning is a worthwhile thing to do.
Seal Up The Draughts
Draughts are awful things – they’re not always that easy to detect, and even when they’re tiny, they can make your home really cold, which means your heating system is going to be fighting against the chill, working far harder than it would if those draughts weren’t there. That’s why it’s wise to find the draughts and deal with them before they make things less energy-efficient and more expensive.
One thing you can do is install weather stripping around your doors and windows – it’s easy and doesn’t cost a lot but it seals gaps nicely and keeps the cold out, and you can get them at any DIY store or online, so it’s not a difficult job to get done. And to make things even better, you can use draught excluders along the bottoms of your doors to block out cold air – you can get them in all kinds of designs, so there’s sure to be one that works with your decor.
