It may be spring, but let’s face it: there are still a few days (maybe even weeks!) left of our cold Canadian winter.
Popular Mechanics offers homeowners a selection of tips to slash your heating bill. Whether you know it or not, there are likely a few areas in your home that need some fixing.
Start with worn and torn weatherstripping around your home, the blog suggests. This can cause drafts and cold air to sneak in. Doubtful? Here’s a staggering fact for you to consider: according to the article, 12 per cent of a home’s heat loss occurs around the windows and doors.
Next up, examine the door thresholds around your home. Popular Mechanics says if you can see daylight under your door, then “you’re losing the air you’ve paid to heat.”
You’ll also want to do a tour around your home to eliminate drafts around electrical boxes, and plug holes in exterior walls. According to Popular Mechanics, “Electrical boxes in your exterior walls are notoriously drafty because insulation isn’t always placed around and behind them correctly.”
Meanwhile, pipes, gaslines and electrical cables that enter your home often have gaps around them that have been haphazardly filled with some kind of caulk. Fix those gaps, and you’ll notice a difference.
Is your heating bill still too high? Consider covering your windows and patio doors with plastic film. Sure, it’s unsightly, but according to the article, windows account for 25 per cent of heat loss in a home – that’s a lot!
You can also keep warm air from escaping up the chimney with an inflatable chimney balloon, insulate the attic access door, seal leaks in ductwork, and upgrade your furnace and thermostat – Tozer Heating & Air has a selection of products for you to choose from.
For even more tips on how to cut your home heating bill, check out the full article.