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This Winter Keep the Chills Out

Written by Comfort Solutions HVAC on . Posted in .

Your HVAC Team in Easton, PA has Tips for Home Comfort in Winter

Whether it is a brand new home, or a century-old mansion, any house can face the problem of air leakage. Any construction gaps with unsealed openings to the outside could bring in those cold chills in your warm and toasty home. When left unattended, drafty windows and doors can drop the internal temperatures by several degrees, which means your furnace is working overtime to maintain your desired set temperatures. Moreover, as per the U.S. Department of Energy, you can potentially save 10% to 20% on energy bills by reducing the air drafts in your home. 

The HVAC specialists at Comfort Solutions want to make sure that your home or office remains warm and comfortable during the harsh, cold months ahead. Read on for some simple solutions that may help you batten down those hatches, and stop the drafty chill in your home.

Easy Tips to Draft-Proof Your Home 

When you are dealing with a draft, the first places you tend to check are the doors, windows, fireplaces, or attic hatches. However, do not overlook electrical outlets, dryer vents, or ceiling-to-wall joints, which could also be potential sources of drafts. Depending on the problem area that you identify, here are some options to stop the draft:

  • Doors and Windows: To stop the air leaks from windows and doors, you have a number of options: 
    • Replace the weatherstripping
    • Use decorative draft stoppers, such as door snakes
    • Redo the entire caulking or simply re-caulk the cracked areas 
    • Apply foil stripping and rigid foam insulation
    • Install insulating plastic film for an additional airtight seal
    • Hang insulated curtains that prevent the cold draft from entering warmer areas of your home
  • Floors: Unfinished basements often cause drafty homes, leaving the floor too cold to walk around in bare feet, or even with socks on. Suppress the cold air by adding insulation under the flooring.
  • Fireplaces: Check if the damper is functioning properly, or upgrade to a new one, if necessary. Install a draft guard that prevents the fireplace from opening when it is not in use.
  • Attics: In addition to the attic door, look out for small air gaps around the exhaust fan and attic stairs. Seal the gaps by adding weatherstripping or foam insulation to the plywood or drywall in the attic. 
  • Dryer Vents: Install a clothes dryer vent sealer. It will close the duct and prevent cold air from entering the home when the dryer is not in use.
  • Cables and Wires: Notice any space between the wire and the hole where a cable line runs through the walls of your home, from inside to out, or vice versa? If the gap is less than a quarter of an inch, seal it with caulk. For larger gaps, use foam insulation to prevent air leaks.
  • Electrical Outlets: See a gap between the electrical switch plate and the wall around it? Stop the air leakage by applying low expanding foam insulation in the gaps.

In addition to the drafts, do you find the air in your home to be too dry? It may be time to clean or replace your furnace filter. In fact, if you did not get a furnace tune-up before switching from air conditioning to heating, you may want to schedule a service at the earliest. The licensed and certified technicians at Comfort Solutions HVAC will thoroughly inspect your HVAC system and fix any potential problems to prevent breakdowns during the peak of winter. We also offer a cost-effective, energy-efficient, annual maintenance program to keep your furnace at peak performance.

Looking for a reliable furnace tune-up service for your home or office space in PA? Call us at 610-438-9300 to book an appointment, or contact us online.