You’ve probably felt it in the past few days: the cool chill of autumn air has swept the Columbia these past few weeks. Which means days of winter coats and nights of staying indoors are coming. There’s nothing worse than climbing into a cold house or office on a winter day, and it can be hard to avoid that feeling. But it’s not just the weather that makes us want to stay inside – it’s energy savings, too. This is because as temperatures fall, our energy use tends to rise. Lighting up your home and business helps reduce chill and wards off nightfall, but costs a lot on energy bills.
Five Tips to Conserve Heat At Your Home or Business
Because heat can be expensive, it’s important to reduce heat loss in your space as possible. The cost of electricity when heating in particular can send a chill down the spine. Whether you’re the homeowner, business owner, property manager of your own home or building, there are several ways to save energy for the upcoming colder months. Here at Tri-Tech Heating and Cooling of Vancouver, we have put together some tips for conserving heat in your space.
Install a programmable thermostat and keep it at a consistent temperature
If you want maximum control over the temperature in your place of business or residence, installing a programmable thermostat is the way to go. This way if you do want to keep the evening temperatures slightly lower than the day temperatures and save money when you’re out of town, you can! With smart thermostats in particular, you can even monitor energy consumption with your phone and set the temperature for lower to burn less energy while on vacation or a business trip. There’s no need to waste money on climate control if no one is living or working in said climate.
When you are home it doesn’t necessarily have to be 67 degrees. Contrary to every thermostat control joke out there, there’s nothing inherently bad about setting a warmer threshold if you’re the type who hates the cold. But each degree does add more heating costs to the final bill. What matters is keeping the the temperature stable rather than heating and cooling willy-nilly. Raising and lowering the temperature based on feel is a one-way ticket to a pocketbook of pain. To avoid this, find a good baseline for temperature and stay there–the rest of our tips will do the rest of the work.
Seal any cracks in doors or windows that allow cold air inside
One of the simplest ways to increase climate control is to caulk and seal any cracks in the window/door sills. New weatherstripping and door sweeps can also help make the door air tight as well. Altogether this will prevent cool drafts and heat. Drafts let cold air in, throwing off energy costs as that draft wipes out the warmth in the home. This works in reverse during the summer too, energy is also wasted to cool the home when cool air is continually lost through cracks. Make sure your home is sealed tight for heating and cooling by caulking and sealing the gaps!
Use window curtains to block out sunlight during the day to reduce heat loss
Keeping your curtains closed does two things: it blocks out heat from leaving via the windows and it blocks out heat from coming in through the windows. Once again this is a system that works in reverse. You’re going to traditionally aiming to keep your home cooler than the outside in the summer and warmer than the outside in the winter. Investing in blackout curtains turns this strategy up to 11 because they are heavier duty. However any curtain or blinder will help in the noble quest to reduce
Invest in heat pump systems with high Energy Star ratings
With new advances in technology we have come to realize new strategies for keeping spaces in a livable climate. As it turns out ducting is a terrible way to heat or cool a small space. It’s incredibly intrusive and leaks heat and cooling like mad. About 20 to 30 percent to be exact. Investing in an Energy Star rated heat pump is a great way to reduce energy usage while maintaining comfortable temperatures. It’s also an easy to install option and far less intrusive than ducting a small space
For most businesses in town, space is a premium, the same with smaller urban homes. Mini duct systems have much better insulation, use far less energy and can keep a space in the preferred temperature range without giving up much by way of power. They even outperform baseboard heating and other conventional heating methods. In terms of cars, what good is a hulking V8 engine if it can’t use one third of the horsepower it is said to muster? Sometimes it’s about being light and efficient. A heat pump will help this endeavor mightily and are a far less costly option than our final tip.
Invest in energy efficient doors and windows
This is a nuclear option, but if your caulking and sealing has thus far done nothing for you, wholesale replacement is still an option. Similar to energy-efficient walls and attics filled with insulating material, you want energy efficient doors and windows with their own specialized insulation. This works in two ways: they’re insulated for energy conservation and are constructed not to let any energy escape.
For example, a fiberglass door will be much better than a wooden one with the energy conservation properties of fiberglass and energy-efficient insulation. In energy-efficient windows, it’s a combination of energy conservation materials like argon gas in between two panes of glass to keep heat from escaping. This type of window is known as double-paned or double-glazed. It can cost more, but it will save more in the long run.
Proper manufacturers usually provide long warranties in case of unforced damages. There’s no cost of replacing them if the stray rock or environmental damage finds its mark on the window or door. Therefore while the cost is high, the risk is actually very low.
Tri-Tech Heating and Cooling of Vancouver can keep your world warm (or cool!)
We hope you found our six tips for conserving heat in your home or business helpful. Tri-Tech Heating and Cooling LLC are the trusted heating and cooling experts of the Vancouver and North Portland area. It’s in the name and it’s a every part of our game. Our technicians can install and help you learn a new thermostat, water heater or find out what’s causing your heating bills to creep upward each year. If you are looking for expert technicians who provide quality service, then we are the company for you. Contact us today!