Cold winter temperatures put homeowners with improperly weatherized homes at risk of developing health problems related to cold temperatures.
Making sure your Wisconson home is properly weatherized is important during the winter months. Improperly prepared homes can run up expensive heating and electric bills, allow cold air in and may even become uninhabitable if temperatures drop below a certain point during snowy weather conditions. Weatherizing a home can be expensive, but fortunately there are programs and monies available to help low-income families prepare their homes for winter. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Apply to a weatherization assistance program.
Apply for weatherization assistance. There are several different programs that provide weatherization assistance to qualifying Wisconsin households. Contact the Wisconsin Division of Energy Services for assistance with paying for home weatherization.
2. Make your own door draft with a towel.
Block door drafts. Door drafts allow warm air to escape from rooms and cool air to enter. You can buy specially designed items to fit under your doors or you can make them using towels or other fabric. To make a door draft from a towel, slide the long edge of the towel under the door, roll up the towel ends on either side of the door and press the towel roll against the bottom of the door to secure. You may have to re-roll the towel ends if someone opens the door. If your windows are letting in a draft, seal them by either replacing the windows or blocking the draft by installing caulk or even a plastic barrier over the area where the draft is entering.
3. Change out your furnace filter to allow air to continue to flow through the furnace properly. A permanent filter may cost more initially, but can save money in the long run because it will not need to be replaced again and will typically be more efficient than cheap, one-time use filters.
4. Problems in your heating system can cost you money.
Have your heating system serviced and maintained properly by a qualified technician. Problems in your heating system can cost you money, waste energy and cause a general lack of effectiveness. Make sure your heating system is working at optimum strength to provide heat to your home at the lowest cost possible. If necessary, replacing heating components with those that are designed to save energy and may enable you to receive an extra tax deduction.
5. Turn down your thermostat and put on a sweater.
Adjust your thermostat. Keeping temperatures cooler when you are not at home, or simply putting on a sweater, can noticeably cut down on heating costs over the length of a winter.
6. Add insulation to your home. Extra insulation will help keep your home warmer and more energy efficient.
Tags: heating system, your heating, your heating system, weatherization assistance, Apply weatherization
