How to Prep Your Home to Save Energy This Winter

Is winter really coming again already? It may not feel that way at the moment, but it is coming soon.

And the further ahead you think, plan, and act, the more energy you’ll save this winter. You don’t have the luxury of lots of time, though.

So here’s some of the things you can do that save you the most energy:

• Seal Your Home’s Air Envelope

What if your home had a perfect seal between its walls and the outdoors? You could control your temperature with ease, regardless of the circumstances outside.

Every home, even newly built ones, has at least some cracks and gaps in its structure that allow air to pass through. Of course, this will cost you energy when your conditioned air warms, or when your heated air cools.

You can lose up to 35% of your interior air outside. Finding air leaks is actually not that hard.

Simply light a candle. Move it around your home near areas where seals are made (windows, door frames, baseboards, dryer vents, and so on). You’ll see your candle flicker, which means you have a slight breeze coming through. Those areas need sealing.

You can also hire a professional to do this if you don’t have the time.

• Check the Seals in Your Ductwork Too

The same concept applies to your ductwork. After some years, the seals around it can deteriorate to the point where they leak. Sometimes, they leak a lot. They can cost your home up to 20% of its heat.

Checking ductwork in your walls takes the skills of a pro in most cases. But you can examine the ductwork everywhere else.

HVAC foil tape gives you a solid, secure seal. Don’t use duct tape because it doesn’t seal as well.

All holes should be patched with a fiberglass weave, and then sealed with mastic air duct sealant.

• Seal Your Attic Door

Have you heard of “Stack Effect?” It’s the natural process of warm air rising and trying to escape through your windows, attic door, and roof.

Your attic door gets overlooked, even by HVAC pros, as a huge source of hot air escape.

The expensive (but simpler) fix for it involves an attic tent, which costs $200 or so. The cheaper route involves attaching foam installation pads to the back of the hatch ($7), and then using weather stripping ($3) along the edges of your attic’s access panel.

Not only will you save more energy with these tips, but you’ll feel a little warmer this winter too.

Enjoy!

Call Pronto Power today at 844 621-2852 or service@powermepronto.com to check on the savings available to you.  Call Today!