Heat Loss Creates Extra Work for Your Heater

The performance of your home’s heater can be affected by many factors, and the resulting spike in energy costs can be frustrating. It’s important to pay attention to those billing increases so that you can deal with heating problems quickly, but it’s also important to recognize that some issues may not be the result of mechanical activity. Heat loss can also play an important role in your home’s energy performance.

Signs of Heat Loss Problems

It’s helpful to pay attention to new and unusual conditions in your household environment so that you can make changes quickly. Ignoring energy loss issues can lead to high bills over a long period of time. Take note of the following:

• Air movement from registers when your heater is off – leaky ducts can draw heating energy out of your system while introducing cold air. Ducts are responsible for up to 40 percent of lost heating and cooling energy, and sealing services may be needed.
• New drafts near windows and doors – caulk and weather stripping can become brittle with age, making it important to check and replace as needed. This is an affordable DIY project that can limit increased bills by retaining more heating energy.
• Cold spots in perimeter areas of your home – structural issues ranging from big windows to poor insulation can lead to chilly zones from energy loss. Supplemental insulation in the attic may help with some energy loss issues. Wall insulation may be more difficult to upgrade. Windows can be addressed through renovation, especially if you have single-pane units in place. They can also be treated with insulated window coverings to limit heat transfer.

Air sealing and insulation updates can lead to a savings of approximately 10 percent on your energy bill, making it worthwhile to spend the time investigating any issues.

Home Performance Services

If you aren’t finding any leaks or other structural issues as you look for causes of energy loss, you may want to consider having an energy audit. This advanced service allows for your heating equipment to be tested. Air pressure can be measured to determine whether leaks are an issue in your ducts or in other parts of your home. You’ll also learn about the performance of your heating equipment.

Keep Your Heating Equipment Optimized

Scheduling an annual inspection of your heating unit is important for achieving optimum efficiency and comfort levels. While heat transfer can lead to wear on your equipment, forgetting to have your unit fine-tuned and cleaned can also lead to early system failure. It’s important to have your furnace tune-up completed to protect your family from issues like potential heating fires or unhealthy carbon monoxide levels. Your heat pump should be evaluated for refrigerant levels and coil condition. Your technician may also be able to pinpoint heat transfer problems related to leaky ducts.

The service crew at Custom Air Heating & Cooling is available to conduct a system inspection if you need to optimize your equipment. We can also provide energy audit services in your Venice, FL home. Give us a call to schedule an appointment.