Heating devices are all neat and comfy with the warmth they provide on colder seasons. And yes, though they may be costly, most of us probably do not mind the additional cost as they are anyway, necessary. It is after all a lot better than getting hypothermia.
But the question is, are all the cost going to your energy bill necessary? Maybe not. You may have falsely and blindly believed that heating systems are very costly. Yes they are costly, but maybe not as costly as you may have perceived. So how is this possible?
Cracks. leaks. gaps. drafty spots – the culprits.
The more heat that escapes your house through these unwanted outlets, the more that you heater has to work harder to replace the lost heat. This of course results to greater energy consumption, and greater energy bill.
You can avoid wasting hundreds to thousands of dollars by addressing the problem early on. Try these do-it-yourself methods. These may require some additional costs on your part, but considering how much you will be saving on energy bills in return, it is a wise investment.
Long and Heavy Curtains Window frames, hinges and movable joints are usual heat escape areas. But do not be too quick on tearing down that good old window and replacing it with a new one. Although replacement is perhaps the best solution, it is costly and time consuming. Try putting on long curtains with heavy or thick fabric that can effectively cover a good area of your window instead. When choosing the right curtain, keep in mind that the hinges, joints and frames of your window should be properly covered. Or better yet, why not just cover the whole thing?
Door sweeps, drapes and sheets The bottom and sides of your doors usually have considerable gaps on them where heat can escape. You can counter this by simply placing a thick door sweep or a thick rug that can cover the area beneath your door. As for the gap on the sides, you can simply hang drapes or sheets to cover them.
Cover those unwanted cracks Keep in mind that doors, windows, and ducts are not the only escape routes for heat. Cracks and drafts also play a major villain role here. Search out every nook and cranny of your house for these culprits and cover them using caulk and/or weatherstripping.
Segment different parts of the house It goes without saying that the larger the area that must be heated, the harder your heater will have to work, resulting in greater energy consumption. To save energy, you may want to limit the range of your heater to areas where people stay often, separating them from areas not frequented such as hallways, attics, storage rooms, laundry rooms, and the like. Of course, for this method to be effective, each segmented area must be effectively sealed of gaps, drafts and cracks. You can do this by following the methods already mentioned above.
Hot air goes up If you paid attention to your physics teacher way back in your student years, you may still be familiar with the phrase “hot air goes up” – the defining mechanism of hot air balloons. And sadly, your house is not exempt of the laws of physics. This means that the heat generated by your heater is likely to accumulate on your ceiling and attic. This is no good news because people don’t normally stay on the attic or on the ceiling do they? To avoid this from happening, make sure that you ceiling and attic are sealed shut.
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