Winterizing your greater Asheville-area home will go a long way toward helping you keep energy bills low and home comfort high. Several components within your home work together to achieve energy efficiency, so it makes sense to tackle energy losses that occur in them in order to prepare for winter conditions.

Here’s where you can start the winterizing process:

• Seal your home. This winterizing action is generally the most cost-effective one you can take. Investing in caulk and weatherstripping doesn’t cost a lot of money, but the results of sealing up air leaks around your home can, by some estimates, save you as much as 15 percent on your seasonal heating bills. Luckily, most homes leak in the same locations, so finding leaks is relatively easy. Look around windows, doors, duct pipe penetrations, plumbing vents and pipes and electrical wiring protrusions and plugs. And don’t forget to check around light switches and your fireplace flue as well.To seal tiny leaks and cracks, use caulk. For larger leaks, consider using expanding foam spray, which will fill in the space more effectively. Apply weatherstripping around doors.
• Insulate your home. A properly insulated home creates an effective barrier against the movement of heat, so having enough of it throughout your home will keep heat inside where it belongs and help lower energy bills. The attic is an easy area to access in most homes, and the federal government recommends attic insulation levels of R-38 to R-60 in the greater Asheville area.
• Maintain your furnace system. Keeping your furnace in good shape requires that you have it serviced every fall. Doing so ensures that the system will operate efficiently over the heating season. You’ll also reap the benefits of an extended life span, improved home comfort and home safety. Homeowners can contribute to maintenance by checking the system’s air filter monthly and changing it out when it’s dirty.

Need help taking the proper steps to keep the cold air out this season? By winterizing your home this year, you’ll make a lasting, significant investment in your energy savings for many seasons to come. For more expert advice, contact Smoky Mountain Heating & Air today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Asheville, North Carolina and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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