We all want to keep out energy bills as low as possible. Many people don’t know how to do this effectively and end up having huge energy bills unnecessarily.
It doesn’t have to be this way. There are specific things you can do to preserve energy and also make your home more secure and free from damage at the same time.
Particularly if you live in or around Kanata, it is important to make sure you preserve as much energy as possible. If you really have a problem, you can look into window replacement Kanata and get something entirely new.
What To Do
Let’s first take a look at things you should be doing to your home specifically to help keep it sealed and protected. Go through these steps carefully and you will surely feel the difference in your home’s temperature in no time.
- Weatherstripping. Weatherstripping is essential to prevent outside air from seeping in. You might have many small cracks that you don’t even realize are letting in air. Weatherstripping will provide a solid seal between the frame of your window and the window itself. It also helps around doors.
- Caulking and Sealant. If you notice any small cracks or gaps that are too small to reach with weatherstripping, or are not around the frames of windows or doors, you can add caulking or sealant. This helps ensure that no gaps have been left open.
Window Insulation
If you live in a harsh climate like Canada, you also need to ensure that you insulate your windows properly. There are several ways to do this:
Get Window Insulation Kits
Window insulation kits do an excellent job of preserving heat in the winter and keeping it out in the summer. These kits generally consist of a clear plastic film and tape.
Insulated Window Curtains
Even your curtains and blinds can be insulated. If you find the right kind with a sufficient degree of insulation, it will provide yet an additional layer of protection between your home and the outside temperatures.
Glazing
If you need to replace your windows, you should look into getting double- or triple-pane (otherwise known as double- or triple-glazed) windows. Not only do they help keep heat in, but they help reduce incoming noise levels which can be particularly useful if you live in an urban area.
Utilize Your Windows Right
What does this mean? People might not take advantage of their windows as effectively as possible. Keep in mind the following:
- Utilize natural light as effectively as possible. If you have windows in places where sunlight comes in during the day, be sure that you don’t obscure it in such a way that prevents it from adding warmth to your rooms. Taking advantage of natural light is a great way to gain heat without having to pay for it.
- Close your curtains and blinds in the summer. Conversely, in the summer months you want to reduce excessive heat from coming into your house. If there are particular times of day during which your house tends to get overheated, you might want to close the curtains during these periods.
- Automatic window treatments. If you are too busy to manage these things yourself, you might want to consider what is known as “motorized window treatments.” This is exactly what the name implies: Window coverings (usually blinds) that you can program to open and close at particular times of day. They can do a lot to help optimize your energy usage.
Additional Things You Can Do To Save Energy
Beyond treating your doors and windows, there are other things that you can do in the home to help conserve energy. This includes:
- Having an energy audit conducted of your home. This can be a great way to find out point-for-point just how your home’s energy is being utilized and in what particular places you can shape things up to do better. It will be well worth the investment when you see your energy bills going down.
- Getting a smart thermostat. You can now find thermostats that automatically adjust to predetermined levels depending on conditions in your house. Getting one will save you from having to run around constantly changing the temperature, and it will get the numbers right automatically without wasting time and energy.
- Buy energy-efficient appliances. It’s amazing the number of things that can be made energy-efficient these days. Everything from your dishwasher to your laundry machine to your coffee maker can be programmed to turn off when they have used just the amount of energy necessary to get the job done.
- Switch to LED lighting. Incandescent bulbs use far more energy than they should. Many people and businesses are making the switch to LED lighting, which uses as much as 75% less energy than traditional bulbs. They also last longer.
Enjoy a Warmer Home and Lower Bills
All these things might sound like a lot of work, but they really aren’t in the end. And when all is said and done, you will be able to sit back and enjoy your properly-insulated home without stressing over that giant energy bill that’s coming at the end of the month. And your neighbors might get the message, too.
