You should take steps to get your home ready for winter before it gets too cold outside. Heating maintenance is all well and good, of course, but it’s not the only thing you can do. There are a number of different ways that you can make sure your home is as comfortable and efficient as possible. Let’s take a look at some steps to make your home ready for the coming heating season.
Home Energy Audits
There are many different minor ways that a home can lose energy. Windows that aren’t properly fitted, minor cracks, and poor insulation in places like the attic can all make climate control quite a bit harder. These are not problems that are easily observed, so if you want to catch them you’re going to need a home energy audit. Home energy audits involve pressurizing the home using a blower door, and then monitoring the rate at which the pressure in the home normalizes. Specific areas that are leaking can be found using smoke pencils and other tools. Those individual problem areas can then be dealt with to improve the home’s energy efficiency.
Duct Sealing
Many different climate control system types rely on ducts in order to function properly. Ducts happen to be very prone to leaks. Whether from installation issues or years of normal use, ducts can develop quite a few leaks over time. These leaks may be small and appear harmless on their own, but their effects can add up quickly. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the average forced-air climate-control system loses up to 30% of its total output to duct leaks. That’s why you need to make sure that you have duct sealing done at least once every few years.
Sunset Air offers home energy services throughout Olympia, WA. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of our experts.
