Slash Home Energy Bills with These 5 Tricks
Winter’s just around the corner folks, and with gas prices hiking back up again you’ll need to get smart! Sure, you can’t control energy rates and power prices. But some careful home prep is one of the best ways of keeping that monthly bill cheap. So this week, we’re talking how to insulate and seal. Sounds dull as ditchwater, right? But wait ‘til you hear what you’ll save….
Why do I Need to Insulate and Seal?
Heat naturally wants to move from warmer spaces to cooler ones, until the temperature between them evens out. This sneaky heat-thieving comes in the form of conduction and convection. Conduction is the passage of heat through materials, and convection is the movement of heat through air. And you want to stop these bandits in their tracks. After all, they’re the ones that really increase your natural gas bills.
So here are your best weapons: add materials that are bad conductors of heat, or stop that air moving around and ferrying away your precious warmth. That’s the basic premise of insulation and sealing. Let’s see how you can deploy these weapons in practice. Ten-hut!
Insulate and Seal Your Attic
This one’s a twofer. Firstly, you’ve probably got some errant cracks and holes in your attic floor. And these are major offenders for household heat loss! Attic air sealing will stop the warm air from below leaking out into this space. You can do this by wadding larger spaces with insulation, or even cardboard. And then have at the smaller offenders with caulk or spray foam.
Secondly, your attic is a cavernous ol’ space where air will circulate, pulling warmth from below into the lofty and useless parts above. Laying down attic insulation will slow this process right down, and according to the US Department of Energy, it can help knock off 20% from your heating bills.
Crawl Space Encapsulation
Ah, the crawl space – the attic of the underground. And the same rules apply: circulating air will pull heat from the rooms above and boot it outside, like it’s disciplining a wayward teen. With an airtight encapsulated crawl space, however, that heat remains trapped and merry in your home. It’s not a cheap fix, but in the long run, it can bring down energy bills by up to a fifth!
Seal Windows and Doors
Air leaks in windows and doors are tantamount to leaving them open a crack – and you’ll feel the chill if you’ve got plenty of them. Try laying down draft excluders, or find a good contractor to apply sealant to the trim. Air sealing your home in this way can help you knock up to 15% off your heating bill.
Change your Darn HVAC Filter!
And finally! Dirty HVAC air filters are up to 15% less efficient than clean ones. And this means your HVAC has to work that much harder to keep your home warm. Making sure your HVAC filter is fighting fit can save you up to $22 a month, and this winter, every little will help a lot.
Insulate and Seal Now to Save over Winter!
Sealing and insulating your home are two of your best defences against the oncoming cold. And luckily, there’s plenty you can do to tamp down on this season’s rising energy costs. So insulate and seal to save on winter gas bills now! And stick with us for more tips at www.GeorgiaGasSavings.com!