5 Sneaky Spots for Fall and Winter Heat Loss
People think Texas is warm and sunny year-round, but those of us in Mount Pleasant, Texas, know that’s not true. We don’t deal with the harsh winters of the north, but it does get chilly here. When you’re paying to heat your house with a furnace or a heat pump, you want that hot air to stay within your home. Many homes experience heat loss, making it harder to get comfortable and keep heating costs down. Check these typical heat loss spots in your home.
Worn-Out Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping around windows and doors seals in heat in the winter and cool air in the summer. It’ll start to wear out eventually, and you’ll need to replace it.
Signs of worn-out weatherstripping include: adhesive tape that’s no longer sticky and cracking dry rubber. You should also stand next to the windows and doors, ensuring no cold air is blowing in.
Replacing weatherstripping is simple. Pull out the old weatherstripping, and replace it with new. This is a good time to try out a different kind, like switching from foam to vinyl or vice versa, if you weren’t satisfied with your former weatherstripping.
Your Floors
Older homes often don’t have a layer of insulation beneath the flooring. Despite the fact that warm air rises, heat can travel through your floors.
If you have an unfinished basement, heat going through your floors and into the basement is a waste. , Whether you do it yourself or you hire a professional, you can insulate your floors by pulling up the flooring and laying down a layer of insulation.
Small Duct Damage
You can spot the signs of duct damage by paying attention to how long it takes your furnace to heat your home. If it seems like the furnace is on forever but your house never reaches the temperature on your thermostat, heat might be escaping from your ducts.
Check for signs of damage where your ductwork is exposed in the attic or basement. Perforations on the ducts themselves and streaks of dirt on the walls are indications. Even if you see nothing, problems may exist. Call us and schedule a technician to come inspect your ducts. While we’re there, we can do maintenance on your system to ensure you’re not losing heat thanks to furnace performance issues.
Where Plumbing Meets Walls
All the spots where plumbing fixtures and pipes enter your walls have tiny gaps. Usually, caulk seals these spots so no heat can get in or out. But caulk eventually wears out and needs to be replaced. Thankfully, this is a task you can do on your own. You need caulk and a dispenser from your local hardware store. First, you have to peel the old caulk off, which you can do with a putty knife. Then you apply the new caulk to seal those little gaps.
Old Insulation
When fiberglass insulation has been in a home’s walls for decades, it tends to slouch and settle within the walls. Eventually, gaps where the walls meet the ceiling exist, leaving you with bits of wall all around your house that no longer contain insulation. You can’t see evidence of this yourself, but you will feel the effects when your house doesn’t heat up as well or for as long as it should.
You need to have a home energy audit to detect fallen insulation. Then, a contractor can help you figure out your options for repairing or replacing it.
You need home heating during winter, even in Texas. Losing that precious heat is frustrating and impacts your comfort. If you think the problem is with your heat pump or furnace, Wood Air Conditioning & Plumbing, Inc. can help.
Have us over every fall to perform heater maintenance so your system runs flawlessly throughout the cold months. We will inspect your ducts for leaks and are happy to give you thermostat setting tips and simple tricks for preventing heat loss. You can reach us today to set up an appointment at 903-285-6550.
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