With the temperature on the fall all over the USA and Canada, it is completely natural to worry about the increasing utilities expense, especially those that involve warming your home. In this chilling weather it is pretty difficult to keep the cold winds off your yard without shelling out dollars. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.

Below are 5 simple and cost effective steps to keep yourself and your home warm this winter:

Fill In Those Gaps:
Warm air that busts out of your home can be a real menace during the winter season. You spend a substantial amount of money already to try and keep your home warm and for what? Just to let the heat escape your home and beat your head against the wall? NO! Right? Warmed air seeping out through poorly sealed window frames, power sockets, recessed light fittings, and other gaps is a big source of heat loss in homes. Caulk, foam strips or expanding foam can be utilized to seal those undesirable cracks and openings and is an effective low-cost method to keep the heat from leaking. Sure, ventilation is important but so is protecting yourself from the indignation of the cold-hearted winter season.

Sunlight: A Friendly Source of Warmth:
One of the healthiest and cheapest ways to keep yourself warm in winter is to make use of the sunlight that is available in abundance and is free of cost. Even when you are a person who doesn’t own a solar panel, it can help you with controlling your energy expenses. By opening the south-facing curtains at sunrise you can make the best use of “passive solar gain.” This works particularly well in those homes that have stone or concrete floors as they absorb a lot of heat and release it over time. Never forget to close your curtains as soon as the sun sets to trap the heat inside. Also, when using sunlight, other heating appliances do not get used, thereby cutting down the electricity and gas bills.

Invitation To Insulation:
Modern and well-built structures already have insulation material in their walls, floors, ceilings and roofs. Generally, inexpensive materials such as ‘fiberglass’ or ‘expanded polystyrene (EPS)’ are used by the architects to insulate your homes. However, you can also add an extra layer of insulation as insulation in attics tends to settle over time. Many other types of insulations are available – from sheep’s wool to thin-but-effective metallic “multifoil”. A simple yet cost-effective method of adding a layer of insulation is to layer up mineral wool in your attic. Thick curtains help to insulate glass windows.

Tune Up Your Thermostat:
Thermostats are self-regulating devices that keep spaces at constant temperatures. Thermostats are electrical devices meaning they consume electricity and cost you money. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can reduce your heating bills by 10% every year, if you turn your thermostat down 10-15% for eight hours. This is highly possible during the night time. You can consider investing in flannel sheets and a warm comforter for your bed to make yourself comfortable at night. Alternatively consider a programable thermostat or Smart Thermostat like a Nest or Ecobee. Smart thermostats will adjust the temperature automatically for you.

Call For Help. REGULARLY!
Over time, as the usage of your HVAC appliances increase, their condition and efficiency declines significantly. During winter, there is a lot of demand on your heating appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. Make sure to get them checked as soon as the winter season sets in and address the issues, if any. By having your appliances inspected at regular intervals of time, you escape any long-term costs that involve replacement of the appliances prematurely.

With HWisel’s qualified and experienced HVAC Contractors on hand, you can sit back and relax during this chilling winter weather while we look after your HVAC appliance service needs.

Download our App now on Android and iPhone to get in touch with our trained service professionals and get your HVAC systems examined on a regular basis without any hitch.