If your heating bills seemed higher than average this past season, you might have some concerns. Could your heating system be at fault? Possibly. But what if you have a fairly new system, or you’ve recently gotten the okay from technicians about your heater’s performance?
A lack of insulation and air sealing could be the reason for your high heating bills, though you’ll likely need a technician to know for sure. Here, learn why insulation is so important for your comfort and your bills, and call a technician if you want more insulation added to your home.
Insulation is a heat barrier
Insulating materials, like fiberglass, are able to keep heat from moving from transferring in or out of a space. Heat rises naturally, which is something you’ve probably heard. So, as you run your heating system, heat moves toward the ceiling and transfers to the attic and out of the home. But if your attic is well-insulated, then heat cannot transfer out of the home as easily.
Air sealing and insulation go hand in hand
When you’re improving your home for better energy efficiency, upgrading insulation is an important step, but it’s not all you should do. You may already have insulation, but it’s very likely that you could benefit from adding more, or from replacing existing insulation in the attic or walls with an insulating material of a higher R-value (for better performance).
Air sealing is something else to consider when you are trying to maximize efficiency. Air leaks around windows and doors force your air conditioner or heater to run for longer, and it may not be an extremely difficult fix to add on some caulking and weather-stripping.
It can help in the summer too
Air sealing and insulation are just as important in the summer as in the winter. Since insulation is a heat barrier, it helps prevent heat from moving out of the house just as well as it keeps it from moving in. And air sealing helps to keep all that nice cool air in, too.
Call the friendly staff at Boehmer Heating & Cooling for exceptional customer service in Upper St. Clair.