Tips for Reducing Heat Loss
Keeping your home warm in the winter isn’t just a function of your heating system. Reducing the amount of heat your home loses can be an effective means of keeping energy efficiency high and energy costs low. For older homes, this can be critically important. Here are a few tips for reducing heat loss in your home.
Seal Your Windows Against Drafts
Drafts can develop from the cracks in window frames and the walls surrounding them. These cracks and gaps can develop over time as your home settles, expands, and contracts during temperature changes. Solutions for sealing these gaps may include:
- Draft-proofing strips
- Window sealant
- Window putty
Use Curtains
Use curtains as an aesthetically pleasing approach to reducing heat loss. Heavy-duty curtains are an excellent choice for this purpose. To take things a step further, consider adding a thermal lining to existing curtains for additional heat loss protection.
Be sure to position your curtains so they don’t hang over radiators. This reduces the effectiveness of the radiator heating the room.
Seal Your Doors Against Drafts
In some older homes, doors and doorways are just as drafty as windows. Use draft-proofing strips between door frames and doors. This approach should be used for both external and internal doors. Draft-proof the gaps between doors and floors by using door flaps or door brushes as draft excluders.
Bleed Air From Radiators
Well-maintained radiators work efficiently, but from time to time, air may get trapped and will prevent the radiator from working efficiently. To determine whether your radiator may need air bleeding, check for cold spots, especially near the top. Bleeding releases the trapped air and returns the radiator to peak operating efficiency.
Upgrade Your Home Heating System
If you’ve done as much as possible to reduce heat loss in and around your home but still need to increase heating efficiency and lower costs, consider upgrading your home heating system. American Vintage Home specializes in heating system solutions specifically designed to meet the unique needs of older homes. Options we offer include:
- Furnaces: Whether gas or electric, furnaces are a reliable and effective method of heating your home.
- Boilers: Boiler systems push steam or hot water throughout a home to keep it warm and comfortable.
- Heat pumps: Known for efficiency, heat pump systems provide an all-in-one solution for both heating and cooling.
- Radiant floor heating: These systems work by warming anything that comes into contact with the floor. This makes the entire home a low-temperature radiator.
- Radiators: Radiators are the components in a room where water from a boiler releases its energy to create warmth in the room.
- Steam heating: Steam heating systems are often associated with boilers and radiators.
- Garage heaters: Keeping your garage warm helps you prepare for when you have to go out when temperatures are more than cold. No need to scrape ice or warm up the car. Available options include forced air garage heaters, radiant garage heaters, convection garage heaters, and portable garage heaters.
- Thermostats: We offer thermostat services for all types of heating systems. Many feature options that create a great deal of control over temperature, even at a room-by-room level.
To learn more about American Vintage Home’s broad range of heating products and services, call (847) 999-4595 or contact us online.
