4 Ways to Prevent Home Heat Loss

Let’s say, just for the fun of it, that you have the world’s greatest heating system. One you would put up against anybody’s – any time, any place.

And yet, no matter how great it might be, it’s not going to give you nearly what you expect from it if your home is leaking heat to unheated spaces, including the great outdoors. That’s where your heating system needs a little help from its owners; namely you.

Here are four highly effective ways to keep the heat indoors for your family’s greater comfort and lower utility bills, not to mention a longer lifespan for your furnace or boiler.

1. Attic insulation – Pardon us for repeating the obvious, but heat rises, and unless your attic is well insulated, it could be rising right up to and through your roof. If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at your attic insulation, now’s a good time to do so or hire a professional for assistance. For best results, the insulation should be at least 6” thick and cover the entire surface of your attic without gaps. Because heat, you see, will find those gaps, and that spells higher utility costs and more wear and tear on your unit.
2. Window and Door Insulation – To find out if heat is escaping through or around doors and windows, just stand next to one, especially on a cold, blustery day. Short of replacing windows and doors for more energy efficient models, you can add to or replace the caulking and weather stripping, cover your windows with thicker shades or drapes, and take other steps to help prevent heat loss.
3. Wall Insulation – It’s estimated that about 45% of heat loss occurs through your outside facing walls. How about yours – are they cold to the touch in one or more places? By having a home energy audit performed by someone with thermal imaging equipment, the exact extent and locations where heat loss is occurring can be pinpointed, and that’s the first step in correcting any such problem areas.
4. Fireplace, Switches & Outlets – Your fireplace opening is such a large and easy exit point for heat, it might as well sport a neon sign to point the way! Short of that, cover your fireplace opening when not in use with airtight glass doors. Warm air also can escape through switches and outlets; you can find specially designed insulation for these at your local hardware store or home center.

How’s your heating system performing? If it’s been a year or more since you’ve had it checked, now’s the perfect time to contact Conway Services for our multi-point heating system tune-up and inspection. It’s a great way to identify and/or prevent heating repair problems while ensuring your system’s safer and more efficient operation. A Conway Services home comfort professional is standing by, ready to lend a helping hand.