Chilly winter nights in the San Joaquin Valley can leave you shivering if you fail to prepare your home for the changing of seasons. Maintaining a comfortable temperature when you’re inside your home is a matter of efficiently utilizing your heating system throughout the season.
Tips for Maintaining a Comfortable Temperature
The best way for maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home this winter is by making a checklist for tasks that should be done. Here are some tips that will help you prepare that checklist:
- Keep your thermostat set as low as you comfortably can throughout the winter. Most people find that 68 degrees is a comfortable temperature during waking hours, with 60 tolerable at night. You may have to wear layers, but you will still stay warm for less.
- Check the air filter for your furnace or heat pump before the season starts. Dirty filters clog your system and lead to inefficient heating. You may notice that your home takes longer to reach the temperature that you set the thermostat when filters are dirty. Dirty filters also put a strain on your system and lead to frequent repairs or a shorter service life.
- Look for air leaks in your home’s exterior envelope that allow heat to escape from your home. Fill gaps and cracks with weatherstripping, caulk or spray foam, depending on the size and location of the leak. Pay close attention to the areas around doors or windows.
- Let the sun in during the day to naturally heat up your home. Close curtains at night to keep heat inside.
- If you are in the market for a new heating system, choose a high-efficiency option that’s sized correctly for the square footage, layout and other characteristics of your home.
Professional HVAC Services
Much of the preparation for winter can be done on your own, but some services require the help of a skilled HVAC technician. Full-service HVAC companies can provide maintenance, repair and installation services to ensure that your heating system in running smoothly and efficiently when the weather gets cold. Please contact us at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning to schedule a preseason HVAC tune-up to keep your Fresno area home cozy all winter long.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Fresno, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).