How To Reduce Home Energy Bills During The Fall Season

There are so many reasons to love and embrace the Fall season. For starters, you can appreciate an array of beautiful colors as green trees explode to vibrant hues of orange, gold, and red. Moreover, it’s also the season of pumpkins, and you can enjoy your favorite pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pies, and other delicacies. Despite these, you also don’t want to forget to prepare your home for the season. Here are some helpful things you can try out.

• Inspect your home for air leaks 

ENERGY STAR research indicates that air leaks or drafts are major causes of energy waste and are mostly found in the basement and attic. However, you can also find them in doors, windows, plumbing vents, wiring holes, open soffits, etc. Air leaks allow cold air to enter your home during cold months while letting heat escape. This, in turn, causes your heating system to overwork and increase your energy bills. As Fall approaches with cooler weather conditions, you’ll find it helpful to inspect your home for these cracks and leaks and correct them immediately.

Fortunately, you can detect these leaks in many ways. For instance, you can perform the hand test, where you place your hands on the edges of your doors, windows, fans, and air vents in every room. Consequently, place a lighted candle near baseboards, electrical fixtures, crown moldings, and phone jacks. If the light flickers, you can be sure that your home has air leaks. You can also depressurize your home or use an ultrasonic air detector. Caulking and replacing weather stripping can stop air leaks around the window, so keep this in mind. You can also work with professionals to fix these issues.

• Stay on top of your HVAC maintenance 

Your HVAC system will be most beneficial, especially when you spend more time at home. However, a neglected HVAC system may be less efficient and overworked to keep your home cozy. However, this doesn’t come cheap, as it uses more energy to operate. Fortunately, carrying out routine maintenance can help you avoid this. Additionally, you can prepare it for the chilly winter months, and you don’t have to worry about it breaking down and leaving your household without heat.

You can begin by cleaning the air filters, as dirt can prevent it from heating your home properly. Consequently, inspect and eliminate debris from your outdoor unit to promote airflow while preventing coil damage. You’ll also find it helpful to work with HVAC professionals to make the necessary repairs, so feel free to consider this.

• Reverse your ceiling fan spin

Another way to reduce energy costs is to program your ceiling fans clockwise. This causes the blades to push cooler air upward while forcing warmer air downward. This way, your home stays warm without spending much. You only need to turn off your fan and wait for the blades to halt completely. Consequently, locate the direction switch near the motor to reverse its spin.

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