Energy-efficient tips for improving the temperature of your home
Autumn and spring are the perfect seasons for home improvement. Whether you have crooked windows or an outdated heating system, it’s better to fix those problems early on, right before harsh weather starts. Apart from creating discomfort, difficult winters and summers are also known for bringing high energy bills.
Improving the temperature in the house and cutting down on energy spending isn’t hard at all. You just need the right guidance and gadgets. To help you out, we present the 5 most energy-efficient tips for improving comfort and temperature in your home:
SMART UNDERFLOOR HEATING
Almost everybody out there knows a thing or two about smart thermostats, but, think broader and try to imagine such an advanced device that is connected to an underfloor heating system. Nobody wants to walk with bare feet on a stone-cold floor and this combination is perfect for preventing such unappealing scenarios.
In case you aren’t familiar with smart (also known as programmable) thermostats, these innovative tools are programmed to use information about your daily routine and temperature preferences as a base for creating an ideal and completely personalized atmosphere in your house. With a smart underfloor heating system, you won’t even notice that it is winter outside. This advanced system also:
- Is maintenance-free and extremely easy to install
- Has high heating consistency
- Can increase home value
- Manages to find the cheapest route, spending minimum energy to accomplish maximum results
UPGRADE WINDOWS & DOORS
Not many homeowners know how windows and doors have an enormously large impact on energy bills. If they are old and damaged, through their tiny holes they will let indoor temperature exit to the outside. This usually results in draftiness, you turning up the heating system more often, and spending much more money on utility bills.
If you still aren’t convinced, know that with high-quality windows and doors the regular household can save about 15% of energy spending on a monthly basis. If you cannot do full replacements, you can always opt for smaller fixes such as resealing, upgrading your glass, or other types of retrofit.
REGULAR CLEANUP & MAINTENANCE
Sometimes the cause for poor indoor temperatures isn’t complicated at all. There have been many situations where clients had an amazingly poor and imbalanced indoor temperature just because their heating system wasn’t properly cleaned and maintained.
Debris and dirt have the nasty habit of building up, so whether in your air ducts or radiator, as time passes by, they will surely clog pathways and reduce comfort. To avoid this, you should schedule a power flush and discuss in with your heating engineer. Luckily, these procedures are very effective. A power flush will refresh your entire central heating system, improve heating speed and effectiveness, gain higher temperatures, and immensely increase your comfort.
REPLACE OLD FEATURES
Even though professional power flushing does bring some useful benefits, some heating and cooling systems are simply beyond saving. You should be prepared to replace old radiators, boilers, ventilation, and air conditioning since these are the number one villains when it comes to indoor temperature balance.
If you haven’t been cleaning filters and vents for a longer time, expect the radiator, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning to fail sooner than later or at least disrupt your heat flow. Boilers are also very important, so you must do the required annual cleanups and inspections.
Replacing old radiators and boilers is the perfect opportunity for installing bigger, more advanced, and energy-efficient ones. But, before you make any decisions, it is recommended that you schedule a professional inspection. Here are some signs that you need to call in the experts:
- Radiators: Frequent leaks & rust, noisiness, overheating or noticing cool spots, high energy bills, frequent need for venting (also known as radiator bleeding)
- Boilers: Passing the expected lifespan (15 years), leaks, low water pressure, noisiness, non-consistent water temperatures, ineffective radiators
- HVAC: Passing its lifespan (15 years), high energy bills, ineffectiveness, unpleasant smells, difficulty breathing, high humidity, a lot of dust
THE RIGHT INSULATION
Home improvement projects such as insulation aren’t very useful for increasing market value. However, they are really valuable for improving temperature balance and making you feel more comfortable in your own home. There are tons of options for insulation, from spray foam to blown-in. Whatever you choose, you must install them in the right spots.
Attic and basement insulation are the most important since the highest temperature losses happen exactly in these areas. Remember though, insulation isn’t the key to improving your indoor temperatures. To truly cut down your energy spending and improve comfort, you must address to route of the problem – the actual heating/cooling systems.
