How do you cut heat loss in your home? It takes just four easy steps! Before we dive into the steps to reduce heat loss, we have a couple of important questions to look at.
What is heat loss?
Basically, this refers to when heat escapes your home. This can happen through so many different ways – some of which are more blatant than others. For example, leaving windows or doors open will result in rapid heat loss. However, even if you have everything shut, heat can still find a way to escape.
Why is heat loss a problem?
You should be concerned about heat loss because it also translates to money loss! When heat escapes, it makes your home feel colder. Not only does this make it uncomfortable for everyone inside, but it means you do the only thing you think you can do; turn up the thermostat. Now, your heating is on a higher setting than it needs to be, and you probably keep it on for longer. As a result, your energy bill goes through the roof! By reducing heat loss, you limit how long your heating is on for, and you can have it at a lower setting to conserve energy and save money.
So, this brings us to the main topic; how do you cut heat loss in your home? It’s simple, follow these steps:
Close your windows and doors
Step one is easy, close all of the windows and doors in your house. Obviously, you should open the windows now and then to let some fresh air in. But, don’t leave them open all day long. And, don’t leave things open when the heating is on. If you do that, then you’re just wasting energy and money. When all the openings in your home are closed, you should be able to keep heat trapped in.
Check for cracks or holes
Next, observe your house for any signs of cracks and holes. Clearly, you can’t go around inspecting every inch of your property! So, focus on the main problem areas. For me, this is your roof, windows, and doors. Head up to your attic and look inside. Cover up any windows so it’s pitch black in the space. If you see any beams of light, then this means there must be a crack or hole in the roof letting the light through. You need to get this fixed as so much heat will escape through a damaged roof.
Likewise, windows can have little cracks in the fixtures and small holes in the joints that let heat flow out. The same goes for your doors, particularly around the edges. If you spot any problems in your house, then call in some experts to take care of them for you.
Get some insulated curtains
Lots of heat can escape through your windows, even if they’re in perfect condition. It’s one of the main problem areas in your home, but you can solve this with insulated curtains. You can learn more about insulated curtains online, but the brief description is that they’re made with thermal materials that trap heat in your home. In fact, it’s suggested you can reduce heat loss by 25% through these curtains alone.
If you have blinds, then they’re terrible at stopping heat loss. The same goes for light and thin curtains. Insulated curtains can still look stylish and fit with your interior design, but they have added energy efficiency benefits. People with blinds can usually get curtains as well as the blinds. So, during the warmer months, you can just open the curtains all the time and let the blinds be as stylish as can be.
Add more insulation to your attic
Loads of heat escapes through attics and roofs because heat travels upwards. While fixing your roof can prevent a lot of heat loss, you should still add more insulation to your attic. Insulation will keep your house as warm as possible and soak up all the heat that travels upwards. Most homeowners haven’t changed their insulation since they moved in, and they might not have even changed it then!
So, you need to find a good insulation company to install this for you. I think this is an excellent idea as it also makes your attic more livable. Before, it was freezing cold and good for nothing. Now, with a fixed roof and warm insulation, it might be perfect for a nice little conversion.
You may not believe it, but that’s all it takes to cut heat loss in your home. You’ll see a dramatic difference starting from your first energy bill. Now, you can save loads of money and live in a far more cozy home.
