INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — If your home isn’t winterized properly, it can be easy for cold air to move inside your home.
Adam Hammond, quality control specialist for Indianapolis Power & Light’s Ways to Save Program, said winterizing your home can save up to 20{a19b272382e43567b93d81f78cecbca1de1bd20e733811fd76565cd2f1d1cf89} on heating and cooling costs.
“Heating and cooling typically account for about 50{a19b272382e43567b93d81f78cecbca1de1bd20e733811fd76565cd2f1d1cf89} of your home’s energy use, so it depends on the age and condition of the home, also the construction style. Every home is unique, so where you need to focus your efforts is individualized,” Hammond said.
Aside from getting your HVAC system checked annually, changing the filter to your furnace will help air flow freely. It will also create less damage and stress on the system.
Drafty doors and windows can be a big source of heat loss, according to Hammond.
“The larger the temperature difference between the inside and outdoor air the faster that loss happens,” Hammond said.
Air-sealing crawl spaces like your basement and weather-stripping your doors are important and can help reduce the amount of cool air that enters your home and warm air that escapes outside.
Andrew Brindley, a home builder with HE Holmes, told News 8 everyone can have a warm and affordable winter if their home is properly winterized.
He recommends leaving the cabinets under the sink open and the water running at a slow drip so the pipes won’t burst.
Brindley mentioned the exterior of the home is also important and to make sure your water hose, sprinkler, and similar devices are unplugged including keeping the gutters cleaned.
“When we’re looking at the overall cycle making sure the snow and ice are staying cleared is going to be a good way to make sure that water stays on the outside of your home and not in your bedroom,” he said.
IPL customers qualify for an energy adviser to come and do a full weatherization inspection on your home or apartment. Click here to learn more.
(Photo by WISH-TV.)
