Heating Your Home the Energy-Efficient Way
It sounds like a simple problem, but even experienced HVAC consultants and general contractors struggle with it: how do you keep your home or business “just warm enough” to maximize comfort and minimize energy use?
The Second Law of Thermodynamics (which concerns entropy) states that energy will naturally flow from an ordered to a disordered state. If your home is hot, and the outside is cold, the force of entropy will try to disburse energy from your home, until the outside and inside environments are in balance. When it’s 38 degrees outside and raining/ sleeting, that’s not ideal!
Here are some ideas to fight back against the Second Law.
Get cozy, heated blankets. Throw blankets on your couch or your bed – areas where you and your family spend time during the winter months.
Improve your fireplace, so that it’s more energy efficient and exudes more heat energy into your living space.
Get used to slightly cooler temperatures. Believe it or not, human beings have a remarkable ability to “habituate” themselves to different microclimates. If it’s always slightly chilly in your home, you’ll automatically adapt by dialing up your internal thermostat or by wearing warmer clothing inside.
Install better insulated windows and doors. Heating loves to escape through windows and doors. If you can improve insulation at those constraints, you can radically improve the energy efficiency of your entire home.
Improve your roof. Heat rises. If your attic is poorly insulated, the heat that you pay dearly for may simply rise up and escape through your roof. By improving your roof insulation, you’ll deal with another key constraint and improve your overall energy efficiency.
Contact the HVAC Contractors at B.A. Morrison
For help with heating, HVAC or general construction questions, turn to the B.A. Morrison team by calling (510) 538-9817 today. We’re a family owned, licensed and bonded business in the East Bay Area. We have been working to help homeowners protect and enjoy their investments since 1990.
