Winters in northern California and southern Oregon can get pretty cold, forcing your HVAC system to work hard and driving up your heating bills. But the demands of the weather may not be the only burden on your HVAC system. Air leaks in your home may be making your system work harder than it needs to. You can help your system run more efficiently by finding and sealing those air leaks. Doing this will lower your heating load and your heating bills, as well.

Begin with your front, back and side doors. Check for gaps between the door and the frame where you see light coming in, or you feel a draft. Apply weatherstripping around the door frame to seal the leak. If you have a draft at the bottom of the door, a draft stopper can keep that cold air outside.

Check your windows. Caulk around the frames outside to reduce air infiltration. If your windows are single-pane, consider upgrading to thermal or Energy Star windows. If your budget doesn’t allow for totally new windows, think about storm windows. Another way to reduce heat transference is using clear plastic covers on your north- and east-facing windows that receive little sun. Home-improvement centers sell these kits, which are easy to install.

Once your doors and windows are tightly sealed, check for other places where air could be leaking, adding to your heating load. Electrical outlets and switches on exterior walls can leak air, but they are easy to seal with special gaskets purchased at home-improvement and hardware stores. Plugging any holes around pipes entering your home or originating in an unheated space, such as the attic or basement, will reduce your heating load.

Finally, inspect your ductwork. Leaky ductwork can be one of the most significant sources of air leakage. Inspect the air ducts for loose fittings and seals. If you would like an inspection that’s more thorough than what you can do yourself, contact Metal Masters.

At Metal Masters, we can help you find ways to lower your heating load. Accomplishing that goal will help you keep your utility bills in line this winter, and should you decide to upgrade to a more efficient heating system, you might be able to purchase a smaller and less expensive unit, thanks to the improvements that you’ve made. 

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heating loads and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Metal Masters services Southern Oregon and Northern California. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!