In my local area, the winter weather is brutal.
- By the end of August, it gets chilly enough to need the furnace at night.
We often have several inches of snow by Halloween and several feet for Christmas. The temperature is typically below freezing and can drop down into the negative digits. It’s not unusual to rely on the heating system until sometime in April. The spring season is brief and normally chilly and wet. When summer arrives, we deal with high humidity and temperatures in the upper eighties. While it’s possible to get along without central air conditioning, I wouldn’t want to try it. The clammy conditions make it difficult to sleep and cause issues with air quality and home furnishings. Between operating the furnace and the air conditioner, temperature control adds up to approximately fifty percent of my energy bills. Despite investing in high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, the cost is a big impact on my budget. I’ve made energy conservation a priority. I’ve taken proactive measures to tighten up my home and eliminate waste. I don’t want the heated and cooled air to leak out through cracks and flaws in the thermal envelope. A properly sealed home reduces demands on the heating and cooling system, decreasing running times and costs. Plus, there’s less wear and tear on components, promoting greater reliability and longevity. Over the years, I’ve replaced all of the windows in my home. I upgraded to thermal pane windows and meticulous caulked and insulated around them. I spent a fortune on Energy Star rated front and back doors with weatherstripping. I’ve added insulation in the walls, ceilings, around plumbing pipes and throughout the attic.