Chicagoland winters are brutally cold, sending some of us to hide under cozy blankets. As we start to head into the colder months, now is a good time to prepare your home for winter.
Heat can escape your home in several ways, some more obvious than others. If you’re suffering from any of these issues, you could be paying for heat that’s going right outside:
- Drafty rooms that are too cold for your comfort
- Ice dams on your roof
- Chilly second floors
- High energy bills
When heat loss occurs in your home, it raises your energy bills plus puts a heavy strain on your furnace and boiler systems. And if your system has to work harder, it can lead to a breakdown that requires you to replace your furnace sooner than expected.
Here are some tips and tricks to keep your furnace working properly and the heat inside your home.
What Should I Check Before the First Freeze?
Both new and experienced homeowners can benefit from a quick checklist before the winter freeze sets in. This checklist is by no means exhaustive, but it should help you get started and ensure your home is protected from the cold.
- Schedule a furnace tune-up or check-up. The last thing you want is your furnace to break down as soon as the temperatures drop. A quick tune-up could help identify potential problems before they become bigger ones.
- Replace or clean your furnace filter to ensure airflow stays steady, and your furnace system doesn’t work any harder than it’s supposed to.
- Seal visible gaps around windows, doors, and foundation cracks as these areas tend to let cold air into your home.
- Check attic insulation and access doors to make sure heat isn’t leaking anywhere.
- Disconnect and drain exterior hoses and shut off outdoor water lines to prevent frozen and burst pipes.
- Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to ensure they are functioning properly before heating equipment runs nonstop.
These little actions help keep the warmth in your stay where it belongs- in your house.
Most Common Areas Your Home Loses Heat
To prevent significant heat loss, we recommend checking the following areas of your home for poor insulation or other potential causes.
Cracks in Walls, Windows, and Doors
The biggest sources of heat loss in most homes are drafts through walls, windows, and doors. Some of these can be invisible to the naked eye. Just a single 1/8” gap under a standard 36” door can leak just as much heat as a 2.4” hole in a wall.
Seal cracks with caulk or foam, and install weatherstripping around any moving parts of your windows and doors. For larger cracks, use insulation foam to seal them effectively.
Basement Walls and Floors
Basement and subfloor areas are likely sources of heat loss. This is due to poor insulation of your basement walls and the cement slab.
The best solution is to finish your basement if it’s concrete, or to add more insulation around the walls.
Having a finished basement is a great way to increase your home’s R-value or thermal resistance, which determines how quickly it loses heat.
However, if such renovations are not in your budget, unfinished basements can be insulated through blanket rolls, foam boards, reflective foils, or fiber insulation.
Poorly-Insulated Windows
Windows cause significant heat loss because they are made of glass, a poor insulator. Triple-glazed windows or storm windows can reduce heat loss by about 10-20%. Energy Star-rated solutions are your best bet.
A more cost-effective way to insulate your windows is to install plastic sheets over the existing window panes. Plastic insulation sheets keep heat in your home during the winter and help prevent cold air from seeping in. These can be easily installed by using a hair dryer.
Frame Walls
Over time, different types of insulation within your walls can lose effectiveness and will need to be replaced or upgraded.
Don’t worry, adding insulation to your walls does not require major renovations. There are repair options available for homes with existing walls. You can choose to have loose fill, blown-in cellulose, fiberglass, mineral insulation, or spray foam installed in your wall frames.
Ceilings
Because hot air rises, some of your home’s heat will be lost through the ceiling. Cracks or holes in your attic or ceiling, along with improperly placed vents, can allow heat loss.
If a home energy audit reveals significant heat loss through your ceiling into the attic, you may need additional attic insulation. You may also want to consider insulating your attic access door.
Exterior Doors
Surprisingly, the place of the least heat loss is through your home’s doors.
However, an energy audit may find that your door is allowing heat loss, which may be a good time to purchase a new door. The best insulating doors are steel and fiberglass (Energy Star-rated) rather than wood. Since glass is a poor insulator, doors with large glass areas may be more attractive, but they also allow heat to escape.
The more you insulate your home, the less warm air will escape, and the less your furnace will have to work to heat your home. Not only will this keep your heating bills down, but it will also help your furnace last longer.
Added insulation can also benefit you in the summer months by keeping cooler air in your home longer.
We Help Homeowners
Flader Plumbing and Heating is uniquely suited to assist you in determining the solution that best fits your home and family’s needs. We’ve been serving your neighbors and our community for over 100 years and 4 generations.
The Flader Difference
Only Flader Plumbing and Heating delivers:
- The most responsive service. We’re here for you 24/7.
- Personal attention from certified and licensed technicians.
- The most dependable equipment and parts.
- Money-saving maintenance agreements.
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Reliability
Flader Plumbing and Heating recommends equipment, models, and brands proven to have the fewest problems and service calls. We specialize in:
Comprehensive Services
Whether you need a new furnace, want to discuss the benefits of a home protection plan, or need to rid your home of a clogged pipe, we are knowledgeable and provide expert service. Our professional technicians arrive on time, listen to your concerns, and answer your questions. They will recommend the right solution and deliver as promised.
Flader technicians average 15 years of experience and are EPA certified.
Expert service, quality parts, and satisfaction guaranteed. There is no reason to compromise. Call us at 847-491-6980.
