The two energy-hungriest appliances in your home during the winter are your heating system and water heater. It’s not difficult to improve their energy efficiency and address air leakage in your home’s envelope. The investment of time and money will pay you back in lower energy bills and increased comfort.
- Take care of the water heater. As temperatures drop, your water heater has to work harder, but you can improve its performance by draining a few quarts of water from the tank. Locate the spigot at the bottom of the tank, attach a garden hose and open the valve. Catch the water in a bucket or a drain.As water sits in the tank, the dissolved solids in the water collect at the bottom and solidify. These sediments hinder the heating process and contribute to tank corrosion. Turning the tank down to 120 degrees lowers energy costs and prolongs the life of the tank. Solids won’t collect as easily and lower temperature reduces scalding injuries.
- Have your heating system serviced. The cost of professional furnace maintenance is small compared to the benefits an HVAC professional provides. During the maintenance visit, the technician will inspect the safety switches, the flue and the gas fittings. Your furnace may require cleaning and adjustments to the air-to-fuel ratio to help it improve energy efficiency and run dependably.It’s also a good idea to have your ductwork evaluated for leakage, since leaking ducts are responsible for significant energy losses, degradation of indoor air quality, and may even pull carbon monoxide into your home. Leaks can form in ducts regardless of their age and lose conditioned air to places where you don’t need it.
Sealing Air Leaks
- Seal cracks around window frames with caulk.
- Check the foundation and use caulk or expanding foam around any gaps or crevices.
- Stop air infiltration around exterior doors by applying new weatherstripping and using door sweeps or draft blockers at the base of doors.
Ace Hardware Home Services can help improve the energy efficiency of your home’s heating system. We’ve provided trusted HVAC services for Dayton homeowners since 1978.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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