Keep Your Texas Home Warm This Winter
With winter fast approaching, you’ll want to make sure your home is weather-proofed before the colder months arrive. Heating leaks can leave you paying way more than you should on your monthly electricity bills in Dallas. If you’re tired of paying more for electricity during the winter, then you need to weatherize your home. Use these 5 easy ways to keep your Texas home warm, comfortable, and energy efficient this winter.
Add Insulation
Many Texas homes have crawl spaces and HVAC systems in the attic. These areas are known to have major temperature fluctuations that lead to costly energy bills in Texas. Luckily, insulating your home isn’t an overwhelming task.
You can buy rolls of foam insulation for your attic, quickly reducing any heat loss. And you can find a quick guide on how to encapsulate your Dallas crawlspace here. Doing both will drastically cut down on your Texas electricity use this winter.
Seal Drafts
Despite a common misconception, drafts are not good for airflow. They often result in either too little or too much air to enter your home, increasing moisture and causing cold spots. The best way to seal your home is to apply caulk and weather stripping.
First, you’ll need to test your home for airtightness. When you find leaks, you’ll need to seal these using a variety of methods. You can add weather stripping around gaps indoors. You can also apply caulk to gaps, cracks, and joints less than 1-quarter inch wide. And you can use foam tape to seal gaps indoors.
Seal Duct Work
Leaky ducts in your HVAC system can cause the conditioned air to bleed out, costing you money on heating. A quick way to save on your Texas electricity bills is to simply patch up these leaks. Your best options to seal up duct leaks are aluminum HVAC Tape (not duct tape, that dries out and becomes ineffective fast) or duct sealant. Both methods will help keep your air in your vents until it arrives at its destination.
Change Furnace Filters
Clogged filters make your HVAC system inefficient and the air quality in your Texas home poor. Exchanging your old furnace filter for a new one is a simple way to increase your heater’s efficiency. Here’s how you do it:
- Turn off your furnace.
- Locate the filter near the blower motor.
- Remove the filter from your furnace.
- Put in your new filter (you can find these at any home improvement store)
- Ensure your filter is placed properly (most frames have arrows indicating the proper direction).
- Turn on your furnace and enjoy clean, energy-efficient heating.
Install Floor to Ceiling Drapes
Windows are a major culprit behind temperature fluctuations in your home. Even the most energy-efficient windows on the market aren’t 100% immune to the elements. By installing energy-efficient blinds, shades, and drapes, you can keep the cold air outside. Just don’t forget to open them during the day to let a bit of sun (and heat) inside.
Save More When You Switch Energy Providers in Texas
Making your home more energy-efficient is a great way to save on your monthly electricity bills. But if you really want to save BIG on your energy bills, then you need an electricity plan with the cheapest rates. To help find the perfect electricity plan for your home, check out www.texaselectricityratings.com.
You’ll find everything you need to know to take advantage of your power to choose in the Oncor service area. We make it easy for you to shop, compare, and switch to a cheaper Texas electricity provider.