As winter sets in, unwanted heat loss can leave your home cold, drive up energy costs and strain your heating system. Fortunately, DTE Energy offers practical tips to help you spot issues early and prevent costly problems.
Indications of heat loss and what to do:
- Drafts around windows and doors: If you feel cold air near your windows and doors, this is a sign your seals may be failing.
-
- Solution: Use weatherstripping or thermal curtains around your windows to trap heat inside. For doors, use door sweeps and draft stoppers to stop cold air from sneaking in.
- Uneven temperatures: Some rooms, walls and floors may feel colder than others due to poor insulation or airflow issues.
-
- Solution: Clean/change your air filters and move rugs and furniture away from your vents so warm air can circulate properly. If you feel cold spots on your floors or exterior walls, look into adding or upgrading your insulation in those areas.
- Melted patches of snow on the roof: If you notice your roof is covered with snow but there are patches of melted snow, heat may be escaping through the attic of your roof.
-
- Solution: The most effective way to prevent heat from escaping through your roof is by upgrading your attic insulation. A professional roof inspection can also uncover insulation gaps, ventilation problems or damage that need attention.
Addressing heat loss right away keeps you and your home warmer and lowers energy costs. For more tips and factors that impact your bill, visit dteener gy.com/staywarm.