‏Fall has arrived. With colder weather on the way, here are some easy and affordable tips for heating your home efficiently.

Seal Gaps to Heat Your Home Efficiently

‏Check to make sure your windows and doors are sealed and insulated properly. If they are not, cold air will come in through vulnerable gaps and cracks. ‏This forces your heating system to work harder, increasing energy bills.

‏Buy weatherstripping and caulk to seal cracks and gaps. Silicone caulk is easy to apply and will fill holes and cracks around windows and door frames. Weatherstripping is usually sold in self-adhesive strips that can be applied in doorways and in gaps around windows.

Contact a professional to conduct an energy audit of your home. He or she will check your windows, doors, and attic for areas of energy loss. They will offer ideas for solutions so you’ll know how to better seal your home.

Invest in a Smart Thermostat

‏Before winter sets in, the mornings are cool and the temperature gets warmer throughout the day. Install a smart thermostat that you can program to keep your home comfortable around the clock.

Set the thermostat to a lower setting when you go to bed or when you’re out of the house. Program it to return your living spaces to a comfortable temperature first thing in the morning and when you return home from work.

HVAC Maintenance

‏HVAC maintenance is one of the most important things you can do to efficiently heat your home. The system needs regular upkeep to properly heat your living spaces.

Make sure to change your HVAC’s air filter every 60 to 90 days, as recommended by the manufacturer. Schedule a regular tune-up for the HVAC system twice per year, before using the AC in summer and again to prepare your home for fall.

Heating Your Home Efficiently: Install Heavy Curtains

Use heat from the sun to warm your living spaces. During the day, leave the curtains or blinds open. Radiant heat will help warm the interior of your home with less reliance on the HVAC system. In the evenings, close the curtains. This will add a layer of insulation over the windows and help keep warm air inside.

New Image Home Inspections provides inspections to customers in upstate South Carolina. Contact us to schedule our services.