You work very hard for your money and take a great deal of pride in your home. It only makes sense that you want some of your home’s components, like your furnace, to be working as well as possible. One of the reasons is that when many parts of your home are energy efficient, you can significantly reduce your heating bills.

Keep Fans on Year Round

Now that summer is over, you may be tempted to turn your fan off. You are well advised to keep it on because it can play a role in saving you money on heating. The one difference with the fall and winter is that you change your fan’s direction. Put it in reverse (clockwise). Warm air automatically rises. The movement of the fan will redirect the warm air back down through the room. It really works well.

Make Way for the Sunshine

Did you know that saving money on heating is as easy as leaving your curtains open? The heat that occurs naturally from the sunlight can raise a room’s temp without you even touching the thermostat.

Close the Gap

With wear and tear, or if your foundation settles a little, gaps around exterior doors can appear. You can fix them by removing the door entirely and reinsulating. An easier fix is to install adjustable threshold, which will make everything level and close the gap. Another option is magnetic weather stripping.

Check out Your Windows

It’s important that you protect your windows against heat loss. Plastic film is a great choice because you can see through it well, but it acts as a barrier against heat loss. You can mold it in place by using a hair dryer to work out the wrinkles and make it tight.

Get a Furnace Tune-Up

It’s time to look at the furnace and identify any problems that may impact your energy efficiency over the winter and fall. You’ll also want the pilot light re-ignited, and the filter changed. A dirty filter won’t let the air flow freely. Your furnace converts energy to gas. A tune-up will make sure that it is doing it efficiently and that you can reap maximum cost savings.

The Chimney Question

It’s against common sense to leave your windows open in the middle of winter, right? So why are you leaving the fireplace open? Make sure to close the damper tightly when your fireplace isn’t in use. It can warp over time, so make sure that it is snug. If it’s not, get it repaired, or insert an inflatable chimney pillow, which will block air flow. Our experience means that we have a wealth of knowledge to share. Call Reliability Home in Dundalk, MD at (443) 399-8663.