From Guest Blogger Brooke Chapman: Most Common Energy Escapes in Your Home and How to Stop Them

Energy bills are on the rise, and homeowners everywhere are looking for ways to lower their costs. While you may dream of going solar or investing in new appliances, these changes may not be in your budget. The great news is there are other steps you can take to stop drafts, reduce heat transfer, and reverse the upward trend with your electricity.

Stock up on Weather Stripping

Rubber weather-stripping is commonly used to stop drafts around doors and windows. It’s highly effective, but does wear down with time. Take a moment to inspect the strips around your home and replace any that are worn, missing, or damaged. Simply locking the doors and windows will also create a tighter seal and minimize the drafts.

Treat the Space You Use
If you have a larger home, then you may be heating or cooling areas you don’t normally use. Shut down the vents to any rooms that are not normally used in the course of a day, such as guest rooms, workshops, and extra bathrooms. This will divert more heat to the main house. You can also put a little space heater in the living room and turn the temperature on the furnace down by a few degrees. In the summer, leave the main home a little warmer and turn on a ceiling fan to keep a single room more comfortable.

Get the Chimney Balloon
If you have a fireplace that’s not used regularly, then a chimney balloon is a smart way to save money. Close the flue, put the inflated balloon in the space, and watch your room warm up. There’s no fire hazard because the balloon will automatically deflate if you forget it’s there. You can also tie a colorful ribbon to the handle on the balloon so you’ll have a visual reminder that it’s in place beneath the flue.

Overlooked Areas
The attic and crawlspace doors are often forgotten areas that need to be addressed. Add insulation to these panels to help keep treated air inside your property where it belongs. You can use adhesive to hold insulation against the panel, and put weather-stripping around the opening to close off the gap.

Clean and Cost-Effective
Research has proven that a clean furnace or air conditioner is simply more energy efficient and last longer because they aren’t struggling against a build-up of dirt and dust. Invest in annual tune-ups to have your furnace and air conditioner cleaned and inspected. Keep the outside compressor of your AC unit clean in the off-season by putting simple air conditioner covers over it.

Go For the Audit
Companies are now offering professional energy audits to pinpoint problem areas so you can address them. This assessment can help you lower energy bills, improve indoor air quality, and create a more comfortable environment. They may identify areas you never thought to look at. Most audits will pay for themselves through lower energy bills after the upgrades are put in place.

Get the Right Window Treatments
Your window coverings aren’t just for privacy or visual appeal. You can use heavier drapes in the winter to block out small drafts and keep the whole house warmer at night. Open the curtains wide during the day to bring in the sunshine and warm up the space. In the summer, choose lighter weight curtains you can leave closed during the day to block the sun and keep a room cool.

You don’t have to spend a small fortune to lower those energy bills. While new appliances, doors, and windows can bring your usage down, these others steps will also make a difference in your costs. Take a look around your home today to see if you might benefit from any of these changes.