Living in a cold house does more than just make you uncomfortable.
Imagine cranking your heat up all the way but still sitting there wondering, “Why is my house so cold?” A chilly home is a problem that could be costing you hundreds of dollars every year.
There are many reasons your house is colder than your thermostat reads. Instead of continuing to waste money by blasting your heat to no avail, it’s important to discover the cause of your home’s heat loss.
Why Is My House So Cold?
If your heat is on, but you still feel a cold breeze, you likely have air leaks in your home. These air leaks could be from any number of places like:
- Ceilings
- Doors
- Windows
- Electrical outlets
- Attics
- Crawl spaces
- Bathroom or kitchen vents
One of the main ways to eliminate air leaks is to ensure you have enough insulation throughout your home. Unfortunately, in most cases, you can’t see your insulation to know whether it’s installed correctly or if there’s enough of it.
How Can You Fix Poor Insulation?
In your attic or crawl space, you may have seen that you have insulation, but how do you know if it’s doing its job? Unless the insulation is perfectly cut to fit the space it fills, there could be cold air getting past it and into your living space.
Luckily, updating the insulation in your attic and crawl space is the best way to prevent air leaks in your home. Having a professional inspect your current insulation will give you a better idea of what needs to be done.
Optimizing your insulation could simply be a matter of adding more insulation to ensure a snug fit. In some cases, existing insulation has been ruined with excess moisture from humidity and may need to be replaced.
More Steps to Prevent a Cold House
If you’ve inspected your attic and crawl space insulation and know that it’s working properly, your next steps should be to:
- Have your wall insulation checked. Improving your wall insulation could bring temperature balance to your home. A professional could drill a small hole in your wall to spray foam insulation where needed.
- Have your HVAC ductwork checked. The team installing your HVAC system may have installed improperly-sized ductwork, leading to poor airflow as well as potential damage. If the damage is left unchecked, your HVAC unit may fail and require replacement.
- Inspect thermostat location. Thermostats only control the temperature of the room they’re in regardless of the temperature elsewhere. Consider adding additional “climate zones” if other areas of your home remain cold.
- Consider room conditions. Everything from room size to the number of windows or doors can impact your heating system’s effectiveness. If you have a cold room in the house, make sure window and door moldings are sealed and heating vents are unobstructed.
- Have the air filter checked. The air filter in your HVAC system is meant to stop debris from entering your home. If you wait too long to have it changed, it could clog the system, reducing efficiency or stressing the system to the point of failure. Regularly replacing your air filter is a surefire way to prolong the life of your system.
- Perform regular HVAC maintenance. Routine maintenance of your HVAC unit is the best way to make sure every component is working as intended.
More Steps to Prevent a Cold House
Prolong the Life of Your Heating Unit
Making annual checkups a habit will help to ensure your house isn’t cold this winter. Your heating system may be past due for maintenance if you notice:
- Your utility bill is higher than normal
- You have cold spots throughout your home
- You can’t remember when your last checkup was
- The heater isn’t pumping in as much hot air as usual
- Odd smells or noises coming from the system
- Your heater isn’t starting
Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of a frigid winter to have your HVAC system inspected and maintained. Getting a tune-up ahead of time ensures a seamless flow into the cold winter months.
Failed Maintenance Leads to Necessary Repair
In a perfect world, you’d have annual checkups on your HVAC unit. In the real world, you have a million other things to worry about. We get it. Unfortunately, when you go too long without HVAC maintenance, you may end up with an unexpected costly repair on your hands.
If you have an older HVAC unit, it may require a quick repair before winter hits with full force. We’re here to help you get through the cooler months without having to endure a cold house.
If you’re experiencing any of the following, it may clue you in that your heater needs repair:
- Extremely dry air in your home
- Condensation on your windows or doors
- Your heater continually cycling on and off
Getting your HVAC system running properly will give you the peace of mind that your home will be comfortable this holiday season and beyond.
Installing a New HVAC System
Perhaps after considering all possibilities, you realize one unit isn’t enough to heat your entire home. If you keep working this unit day and night, it will have a shortened life, leading you to buy a new unit sooner than later.
Instead of going that route, adding an additional HVAC unit to keep up with your home’s demand is a logical alternative. By adding a second unit, you divide the work between your two heating systems, making the job easier for each of them.
The Benefits of a Second Heating System
On top of increasing each heating unit’s longevity, a second unit means you can add more zones to your home. The upfront cost of a new HVAC system may scare you, but the long-term savings of only heating the areas of your home that need it are worth it.
Having a second unit may be a great option if:
- Your current unit isn’t providing enough heat
- You’re constantly repairing your heating system
- You need more heat in certain areas of your home
- You have a multi-story house
Final Word on Making Your Cold House Warm Again
Your home is a big investment, and surely you didn’t buy it with the intention of bundling up under multiple blankets every winter. By installing and maintaining your HVAC system, you are not only protecting your home but also your health. Our team is available year-round for your HVAC needs.
Want to discuss your best options with a reliable professional? Contact us today to see how we can make you more comfortable this winter.
