Poorly Insulated Home: Low Cost Ways to Stay Warm
Heating Tips for a House with Bad Insulation
All across Aurora, there are stunning old homes with loads of character. And often, with loads of drafts. It can be a massive undertaking to heat these gorgeous old homes and expensive. Owners of older poorly insulated homes know very well how high their heating bills rise as temperatures in northern Illinois go down.
Newer homes aren’t immune to drafts. While more modern houses benefit from advances in construction that effectively cuts down on air leak problems, drafts can still occur and end up being an expensive problem in even newer homes.
Maximum Heating & Air Conditioning provides heating solutions to all types of homes in and around Aurora, IL. There are some things homeowners can do to help their furnace provide all the heat their home needs winter after winter.
Improving Comfort & Energy Efficiency of a Drafty House
Fortunately for homeowners of old homes or otherwise drafty ones, there are a variety of solutions for tackling this problem. Some tips are relatively cheap and affordable. However, the most effective ways to keep a drafty house warm are often more expensive and invasive.
What is insulation?
Insulation refers to a material that is put in a wall to stop heat loss in the winter. This insulation also helps keep the cool air inside a home during the summer.
There are several types of insulation:
- loose-fill insulation (cellulose)
- fiberglass
- foam insulation
Putting new insulation into an existing home can be a big and expensive job. However, it is a valuable investment that pays off for homeowners. A house that is properly insulated is important for both home comfort and cost-saving energy efficiency.
People living in a home that is poorly insulation will likely feel uncomfortable in many rooms in the house. A poorly insulated home also means your furnace has to work much harder than it should to keep your home at comfortable temperatures.
Raising Comfort Levels and Lowering Energy Bills
Even if you can’t easily get more or new insulation installed in your home, we have good news. You can take some simple steps to improve the heating for your home and stay warm in the winter.
- Cover windows with plastic window seals. Attach these large pieces of plastic to the frame. They work to keep out cold air that comes in through leaks in your windows.
- You can put up thermal curtains over your windows.
- Put a draft stopper in doors that go to the basement or garage. These stoppers can help seal your door from cold air getting in from the bottom.
- Have your heating system regularly maintained and always make sure it is running with a clean air filter. Basic tune-up checks help ensure a furnace will efficiently heat the entire home. Call Aurora’s comfort team at Maximum Heating & Air at (630) 788-4688 for our professional heating system maintenance service.
- Consider switching to (or adding) a ductless mini split system. Ductless systems provide both heating and cooling for a space. A mini split unit can be a great solution if you have a room with poor insulation and/or lack ductwork.
Is Your Home Poorly Insulated?
How can you know if your home does not have sufficient insulation? Fortunately, you don’t have to break into your walls to spot the signs of a poorly insulated home. Check out these 5 signs of a poorly insulated home to see if yours may be lacking the amount needed to keep your family warm during cold Aurora winters.
- Your house has inconsistent temperatures among different rooms. Is your kitchen hot in the summer but your bathroom is freezing in the winter?
- Your walls feel cold in the winter.
- Your energy bills are higher than they should be. If you are losing heat, your system will have to run more often to maintain your thermostat setting.
- Insects, mice, bats, or other small creatures are getting inside your house.
- Good insulation is a noise barrier. Being able to hear your neighbors or other outside sounds is a sign your home is poorly insulated.
When Do You Need a Furnace Upgrade?
Even a home with good insulation can have heating problems. If your furnace is more than 15 years old and you’re feeling increased drafts, it may be time to think about getting your heating system replaced. Good furnaces that are professionally installed can last 20 or more years, or even longer if regular maintenance is done on the system.
If you are not sure if your furnace is adequately heating your home anymore, contact the Aurora team of heating experts here at Maximum Heating & Air Conditioning. We can perform maintenance work on your system and identify whether your furnace is still working well enough to heat your entire home.
We provide free estimates for new furnace installation. When you trust our team with installing a new heater for you home, you can be sure that your home has a modern system that will keep your home warm and save you on energy costs.
Call Aurora’s comfort team at Maximum Heating & Air at (630) 788-4688 or send us a message online to request service.