When you live in a house in Massachusetts for a very long time you can always notice the little changes in your home, like a little draft from the kitchen to the living room. Over time, you may notice the hot water runs out more quickly in the shower and your home doesn’t warm up the same as before. These are just a few signs that your home is losing energy. Even the smallest draft means that cold air is getting in and heat is getting out. One of the best things you can do to make sure your monthly energy costs are as low as possible is to make sure you’re heating your home efficiently. Here are some more ways to tell your house is losing energy.
Cold and Damp Interior Walls
One of the main indicators of losing energy is doing a temperature check in your house by touching the walls and floors in the interior. If you find your interior walls are warm and dry, then it means that your insulation is working well. If it’s cold and damp, then it means that there might be a problem with your insulation and that you’re letting outside air into your home.
Seal Gaps or cracks around windows and doors
Windows and doors are the number one place that homes lose energy. Take a piece of threat or light paper and hold it close to your window and door frames. If the thread moves it’s a sure sign that cold air is getting in. A quick fix for this is to seal up any areas where you notice a draft. A tube of caulking will work perfectly for small gaps and a can of expanding foam insulation will work well for larger gaps. Both of these options are relatively cheap and will save you money in a huge way.
Your heating and cooling bills keep increasing
An increase in your heating and cooling bills could come from a number of places, but if you haven’t been adjusting your thermostat then you can be sure it’s a sign of energy loss. One thing to check would be your air filters. If your air filters are clogged and dirty your heating and cooling systems won’t have the supply of fresh oxygen they need to run properly. Without getting the proper amount of oxygen your systems will have to work harder to produce the same result. Make sure to schedule regular maintenance with a professional so they can evaluate your high-efficiency heating system yearly to ensure its running at its peak performance.
There are many simple things you can do to improve the energy consumption of your home. One of the best things you can do is prevent energy loss before it even happens. Contact us to schedule a routine maintenance check of your systems so that we can get you off on the right foot.