If you have ever looked at one of your heating bills in the winter and either felt like you were going to be sick or had the sudden urge to cry, worry no more. There are several good ways that you can heat your home without breaking the bank or calling a contractor that specializes in HVAC in St. Paul. Many of these methods require no professional expertise at all. With that said, we at Apollo Heating and Air Conditioning offer the following top 5 things that you can do yourself to keep your home warm in the winter and not spend a lot to do it.
Create Your Own Insulation around Windows
Examine Your Weather Stripping
This is something that is easy and very inexpensive to do. If the weather stripping surrounding your exterior doors is in bad shape, it is probably letting in more drafts than you feel comfortable with. In fact, studies suggest that 7% to 12% of the heat lost from your home is due to insufficient weather stripping around windows and doors. Make sure you are sealing in all this air by keeping the weather stripping around your doors and windows in great shape.
Upgrade the Thermostat
If you still have an old thermostat, it’s time to upgrade to a programmable one. Programmable thermostats are relatively easy to replace on your own. Once you have one of these, you can set the temperature and then forget about it. When you are not adjusting the temperature constantly, you are saving energy and keeping your home consistently warm.
Harness the Power of the Sun
During the winter, the sun is going to be your best friend. The sun’s rays are still bringing heat to your home. To take advantage of the sun, keep your curtains open during the day to bring in the warmth and then close the curtains again at night to seal up the warmth until the next day.
Schedule Regular Tune-Ups
Although not a DIY project, scheduling an annual HVAC tune-up is worth mentioning. This is the most important thing that you can do for your heating system. Your HVAC contractor can provide further advice on things you can do to heat your home inexpensively. They will also likely be able to identify any small issues in your home that are diminishing its energy efficiency and help you apply solutions.
It is easy to save money on your energy bills while keeping your home warm and toasty. Before you call a heating professional to check out your HVAC in St. Paul, try out some of these simple DIY tricks to keep your home warm and comfortable.