Name: Bounds Heating & Air
Address: 25645 West, Newberry Road, Newberry, FL, 32669
Telephone: 352-472-2761

How to Check for Air Leaks, and Save Money!

Before it starts to get really hot here in Gainesville, you should check your home for air leaks. Studies indicate that leaks cause approximately 25-30% of the cool air to escape from your home, wasting both energy and money.

So, how can you prevent air leaks? Here are our DIY tips for keeping your cool air in the home.

Check to caulk and replace worn-out weather stripping

It’s essential that your doors and windows are properly sealed to prevent air leakage. One way to determine whether they are leaking is to shake the doors and windows– if they rattle then you are definitely losing cool air.

Proper caulking is critical to keeping your home insulated. Investing in silicon caulk is recommended, as it is waterproof and incredibly crack resistant. In the long run, you will save both money and time when it doesn’t need to be replaced as frequently.

Weatherstripping around your windows, doors, and attic will wear over time due to age, exposure to the elements, pests, and more. Here are the ways you can tell if it’s time for a replacement:

Self-adhesive foam tape: this will peel from your windows and doors over time, and will generally only last 3-5 years
Rubber and vinyl: this material will become brittle or cracked
Spring metal: can become loose due to missing nails, cracks, or bends

If you don’t have it already, you should add weather stripping to your attic door for optimal insulation.

Insulate around recessed lights

Homes often have many recessed lights, and most have a vent that opens to the attic. Look for lights labeled ICAT, for “insulation contact and airtight.” If your lights do not have this label, you should insulate around them to prevent cool air from escaping. An airtight baffle is a quick and inexpensive fix and is easily installed behind the lightbulb.

Do a walkthrough and a walk around

For the inside of the home, here are the top culprits of air leakage aside from doors, windows, and attics:

TV and phone lines
Where the dryer vents go through walls
Vents and fans

You should also take a walk around your house and inspect any places where two materials meet, such as corners, between the siding and foundation, and water faucets.

Now that you’ve identified where these small leaks are, what do you do about it? Caulk is great for filling gaps under ¼ of an inch, while squirt foam is most effective for those ¼ to 3 inches wide.

The biggest air loss offenders are your doors and windows, so make sure to do the rattle test– if you shake it and it rattles, it’s time for new insulation.

If you’d like to lower your monthly bill, give Bounds Heating and Air a call at 352-472-2761, or visit our website to learn more about our energy audits. We will evaluate your monthly energy spending and air leakage to find solutions that will conserve our planet’s energy, and reduce your monthly costs.

3 Ways to Make Your Family More Energy-Conscious

Families in Newberry, Florida, are no stranger to high utility bills, especially during the hot summers. It’s frustrating to pay such high utility bills when small changes could make a big difference. Spend some time making your family more energy-conscious to help the environment and save money.

Discuss Your Utility Bills

Showing your family the utility bills is one way to help them become more energy-conscious. Even your spouse might not realize the cost of wasting energy if you pay the bills every month. You could even challenge your family to help lower the bills next month by implementing small changes in the home. By showing them the tangible results of their actions, they might be more conscious while they are home.

Switch It Off Sundays

Pick a day of the week to switch everything off. Although your family might gripe initially, it could turn into a fun way to spend time together instead of staring at screens all day. Try to keep as much electricity turned off during that chosen day. You might grill outside instead of using the stove. Buy board games or cards to fill the time that would be spent in front of the TV. Plan a picnic or head to a park to get some fresh air. You might be surprised how easy it is to switch off the electronics when you make an effort to do it.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

An old-school thermostat makes it easy to swing the temperatures dramatically without thinking twice. Upgrade your thermostat and teach your family how to program it. Keep the temperature lower at night in the winter and provide heavier blankets for your family. Ask your family not to change the thermostat more than two degrees without special permission. A digital, programmable thermostat makes it easier to keep the temperature in your house stable instead of creating large energy-draining swings.

If you are seeing high utility bills, a preventative maintenance agreement or updated system could help. Contact Bounds Heating and Air at 352-472-2761 to speak to an experienced professional today.

The Difference an Energy Audit Can Make in Savings and Comfort

Your home should be a refuge where you can kick back and relax in a pleasant environment. If you and your family are uncomfortable despite the high fuel bill you pay each month, your home isn’t the haven you want it to be. Here’s how an energy audit can make a difference in savings and comfort for your home.

Relief from Cold and Hot Spots

Air leaks are a prime source of discomfort for Alachua County homeowners. Leaky doors, windows, and ductwork cause cold spots and overheated rooms. An energy assessment by Bounds Heating & Air pinpoints areas where air enters and exits your home. Fixing these problem areas eliminates air pockets and drafts and makes your family much more comfortable.

Smart Savings

In addition to increasing comfort, assessing your home’s energy efficiency saves you money. First, it identifies the home improvement projects you need to complete, and in what order, to lower your energy bills up to 30 percent. Adding insulation to the crawl space won’t save much on fuel bills if you haven’t first sealed the air leaks in your home’s foundation.

Just as important, an energy audit lets you know what you don’t have to do and helps you avoid unnecessary, costly mistakes. There’s no sense spending money upgrading to a larger HVAC system when your current system will do the job with a little help from home energy improvements. You’ll save in other ways, too:

Eliminating hot and cold spots saves wear and tear on your HVAC unit and extends its lifespan.
It will take less time to heat or cool your home, which means your energy costs will go down.
You can recoup some home improvement costs through tax credits and rebates.

You’ll love the savings you get when you take a whole-home approach to comfort. To learn more about what’s involved in a home energy assessment from Bounds Heating & Air, check out our energy audit page or call 352-472-2761.

Category: Save Money

Discuss Your Utility Bills

Switch It Off Sundays

Upgrade Your Thermostat

Relief from Cold and Hot Spots

Smart Savings