Is your heating system costing you more money than it’s worth? Every night, millions of people go to bed in a cozy home, only to wake up freezing in the morning. If your heating bills are a lot higher than they used to be, you could have leaky seals in your home’s ductwork. HVAC system maintenance and repair should be high on your priority list because just one defective heating unit could be costing you more than $200 per month. That’s more than $2,000 every year that could be used for home repairs, vacations, and other expenses that come along with owning a home.
If you suspect that your main heating unit is defective or in need of repair, contact your local HVAC repair company. Your HVAC system may need to be replaced if it is more than 15 years old, but once you get it replaced you can rest assured that you will be much more comfortable at home. Heat can also escape around the edges of windows and doors; if you have a fireplace, get the seals checked and the chimney cleaned at least once every year. Contractors can check windows, doors, and fireplaces for heat loss: you might be surprised to find that your home is draftier than you think.
The good news about home repair is that home improvement can have a positive effect on the resale value of your home: replacing older windows with newer, “thermally broken” windows has a solid ROI, or return on investment. Thermally broken windows and doors are becoming increasingly popular with residential and retail clients: basically, they provide owners with a tight seal and increased protection in the unlikely event of a fire. Thermally broken windows have two panes and retain heat at much higher levels than older windows.
Home repair can be an investment, but you should recoup your cost within the first year. Replacing a broken heating unit is best done well in advance of colder weather: you don’t want to wake up one day to find that your heating unit is permanently broken. Home improvement experts recommend asking your local heating contractor to do an energy audit of your home: where am I losing heat? What do I need to repair in order to ensure that my home’s heating bills aren’t through the roof? You may be surprised to find that replacing your home’s roof can be a positive step toward combating heat loss: newer metal roofing panels have garnered high ratings for their heat conservation potential.
Homeowners who invest in home repairs will be satisfied when they see the uptick in their home’s value: people want to buy homes that are in good repair and that have amenities like two-car garages, new HVAC systems, and metal roofs. Once you install a newer metal roof, you can look into putting in high-tech solar panels: the price has come down in recent years as the technology has continued to advance. Business owners who make repairs to their retail stores may find that they are attracting more repeat business. In general, making repairs should increase your business’ resale value and can actually work to bring in new customers.
If you are concerned that you are spending way too much on heating and cooling your home, schedule an appointment to have a contractor check out what’s going on in your ductwork. They can let you know what repairs, if any, you need to make and can work with you to find ways to include home repairs in your annual budget. You may be spending hundreds of dollars more than you should every month just to keep your family warm: nobody wants to wake up to a cold house in the morning. Keep your home’s HVAC up and running by making repairs before it becomes an issue, and you may be surprised at just how much money you can save every month.