Category: Electrical

20 Important Home Heating Tips

Close to 40% of the energy consumption in the house goes to electricians Chico CA. More than 95% of this statistic accounts for non-renewable sources of heat. At the moment, there is an urgent need to protect the environment, especially by focusing on environment-friendly ways of generating energy in the homes and places of work.

We have prepared a list of tips below to help you in this process.

Increase Wall Insulation

Insulation is not an easy task. However, when done properly, it is an effective way of keeping your home habitable and maintaining a low bill. You should consider increasing insulation in the walls.

Increase Attic Insulation

For the attic, you must take some time and figure out what is sufficient and what is surplus to requirement. The Department of Energy has a guideline for each region, which can guide you on how much insulation you should add to the attic.

Use Recycled Insulation

There are cheaper and environment-friendly methods of improving insulation in your home. You can use old blue jeans or recycled paper. Blow the insulation material into the attic or walls. You just need to find one of the local companies that offer these services.

Find Drafts

It is easy to detect draft at home. Walk around the perimeter of the windows and door jambs on a windy day with a light string, a strand of hair or a lighter. If either of these is blown away, you have to consider proper insulation.

Seal All Drafts

If your draft problem is restricted to window frames and other immovable places, foam sealant or silicone caulking will work for you. In the case of movable items, weather stripping or rolling up a towel can also help.

Don’t Forget Pet Doors

You cannot easily avoid draft from the pet doors. However, you can install a heavy curtain on both sides of the door, or weather stripping. In case the pet door is close to a sliding glass door, it will also need weather stripping.

Take Advantage of Passive Solar Heating

During the low winter, you can use the position of the sun to keep your house warm. Just keep your curtains open during the day, especially for the windows facing west and south. Remember to remove the solar shade screens during this season.

Don’t Use Exhaust Fans

Exhaust fans are notorious for consuming a lot of the warm air in the house, especially when used continuously. Turn them off as soon as you can.

‘Reuse’ Oven Heat

You can use the heat in the oven to keep your kitchen warmer during the cold season. When you are done cooking, just leave the oven door open and the warm air will circulate.

Skip the Gas Fireplace

Central home Chico electricians is a better alternative to a gas fireplace. This is because gas fireplaces usually consume more energy.

Utilize the Wood Fireplace

A wood-burning stove or fireplace will generate more heat than your gas fireplace. Since you can burn scrap wood, it is also cheaper.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Install fans that are designed for reverse operation during the winter. This mode prevents heat from dissipating through your walls or roof.

Keep the Temperature Steady

Make sure your temperatures are kept steady. By maintaining a steady range, the thermostat will not have to work overtime.

Keep the Thermostat Low

You can train your household to lower the temperature setting by 1-2 degrees every year. You should also find a comfortable range for the day and night temperature.

Acclimate

Try and maintain a steady temperature range in your car, so that your body does not have to struggle to acclimatize when you get home.

Dress for the Season

With the right clothes for the season, you will barely have to push your temperature limits irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions.

Consider a Space Heater

There are scenarios where it will be better to use a space heater, especially for small rooms, compared to the central heat system.

Stick to Warm Foods

Hot foods usually make the body feel warmer faster. Cold foods, on the other hand, tend to have a cooling effect, which lasts longer during the cold season.

Hang Curtains

Get heavy curtains during the cold season and hang them over your windows. Heavy curtains improve your insulation and trap more heat in the house.

Place Rugs in High-Traffic Areas

For the areas that experience a lot of traffic, get area rugs. This works well especially for hardwood floors and improves your insulation effort.