Written on: December 28, 2020
When your heating system has less work to do to keep you warm, you use less energy and your fuels costs decrease. One way to make this happen is to identify places where cold air from the outside infiltrates your home.
For instance, you can seal cracks in exterior walls and put weather stripping and caulk around windows and doors where air might be sneaking through.
If you’re handy, you can tackle many of these jobs yourself, but don’t be shy about calling for the advice of a professional. If you’re not comfortable with anyone visiting your home just yet, just call so you can get on their list when our lives return to some sense of normalcy.
A sensible place to begin your search for air leaks is to go to rooms that feel colder than the rest of the house. Try using a flashlight at night to look for gaps in your home’s outer surfaces. Turn the lights out, then have someone stay in a room while you shine the light from the outside; if light comes through a hole or gap, you have found the source(s) of your leak. Try this with windows, doorways, at-house corners and joints, and even on floorboards.
Some draft issues can be handled easily by using caulk, door sweeps, or weatherstripping; other problems may be more complex. Consider hiring a qualified technician to conduct a comprehensive home energy audit – particularly a blower door test. This test depressurizes a home, revealing the location of many leaks. A professional home energy audit will also help determine areas in your home that need more insulation.
If you have a warm-air furnace (instead of a boiler), you may also want to consider getting your ductwork inspected to see if you have leaks that can be sealed.
Once these problem areas are identified, you can address them to enjoy more comfort and better home energy efficiency.
Here’s part of a checklist provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). You can find more energy efficiency and air leak tips on their website
Speaking of staying warm and saving money, please continue to contact Lawman’s Oil for reliable heating oil deliveries. For the convenience of Lawman’s customers, delivery requests can be made online by going here.
We offer low prices, prompt deliveries, premium Bioheat® fuel and tamper-proof meters and delivery tickets that guarantee you get what you pay for.
If you would like to become a customer, please call 877-692-4230 or contact us through our website.