Before winter hits Georgia, it’s important to make sure that your home is ready to keep out the cold weather that will be coming with it. Here are some useful tips that will help keep you and your family warm all winter long while also keeping your heating costs down.

• Add insulation. Make sure your walls have sufficient insulation between them and that your attic floor and basement ceiling are covered.
• Run fans in reverse. Setting a ceiling fan to run clockwise will help push heat back down.
• Use plastic insulation. This material is virtually invisible and adds a layer of protection against drafts.
• Seal your ducts. Warm air will escape into unnecessary areas like your attic or crawlspaces if there are holes and cracks in your ducts.  Use a duct mastic to seal them so air doesn’t escape.
• Upgrade your furnace. Modern heating equipment can save you up to 50 percent on energy costs when compared to older models.
• Use tax credits to your advantage. Government rebates and other similar incentives can help lower the cost of an upgrade.
• Use an energy monitor. These tell you how much energy you are using and will indicate when you are using more than usual.
• Utilize weatherstripping. When used around doors and windows, this material can help block drafts.
• Drain hoses and air conditioner pipes. This step helps you avoid hazardous freezing that can cause expensive problems.
• Change your furnace filter. Replace your filter each month to maintain your heating equipment’s efficiency.
• Schedule a service check. Hire an HVAC contractor to inspect and clean your heating equipment.  This will help it work efficiently and last longer.
• Hire a reputable HVAC contractor. Be sure to pick a trustworthy contractor who will get the job done right the first time.
• Turn down your water heater. Lower the temperature can save you approximately 10 percent on your water heating costs.

For more tips on how to prepare your home for winter, contact Powers Heating & Airtoday.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about getting your home cold-weather ready and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Powers Heating & Air serves Peachtree, GA and the surrounding areas.  Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!