February 8, 2017
Winter is in full-swing here in Southeastern, PA, and many homeowners are dealing with indoor comfort issues. In many cases, this is due to heat that escapes from the home, resulting in discomfort and costing you significant amounts of money on your utility bill. It can be frustrating trying to understand where and how this heat is escaping, but determining the source of the issue is the key to solving it, and the team at Green Stone Energy is here to help.
Where, exactly, is your home’s heat escaping? Here are three areas that serve as the most common culprits, all of which should be focused upon to improve indoor comfort and energy efficiency this winter.
The attic is a part of the home that many people simply forget about, but it can play a huge role in home comfort (or lack thereof). A process known as the “stack effect” allows for heat to rise from the basement of the home up through to the attic, where if it’s not properly insulated or air sealed the air will then escape to the outside, causing the process to repeat itself. This is why it’s so important to ensure that proper air sealing and insulation is in place.
Your home’s ductwork is responsible for transferring conditioned air from your heating and cooling systems to each room in the house. Naturally, issues will begin to mount if your ducts aren’t performing properly. One of the most common problems occurs when ducts aren’t sealed well, in which case air is allowed to escape at will.
Leaky ductwork won’t do you or your family any favors, as it leads to uncomfortable rooms and high energy bills. In order to ensure your ductwork is in good shape, it’s best to have an evaluation performed by a trusted professional contractor.
Most homes feature a fair amount of windows, many of which are old and outdated. Windows that haven’t been properly weatherized are often characterized by cracks and gaps to the outside, which naturally allows unwanted airflow to occur. Just as with your attic and ductwork, windows need to be tightly sealed in both the summer and winter months to ensure your HVAC system can create a comfortable indoor environment.
At Green Stone Energy, we want to ensure our customers are comfortable for the remainder of the winter and going forward. Our approach to home performance centers around the importance of air sealing and insulating those “problem areas” that many people have in their homes, and we’ll work to ensure that you save money on your energy bill while staying comfortable the whole time.