If you haven't taken every possible step to avoid heat loss in your home, you are doing yourself a disservice. Heat loss runs up your energy bills, as well as creates undo stress on your furnace and water heater. Try some of these steps to reduce heat loss in your home.

Preventative maintenance

One big benefit to signing up for an HVAC service program is that you won't be taken by surprise by emergency heating repairs. Once you enroll, your local HVAC technician will be reviewing your home's heating service on a routine basis, changing filters when needed and making sure that everything is running smoothly. You can almost be guaranteed that your furnace won't break down suddenly, since it will be monitored for warning signs.

Diagnostic services

Your home furnace should operate within certain parameters, based on the square footage, the temperature outside, the age of the furnace and the set temperature. Your HVAC technician will be able to accurately determine if your furnace is being overworked. If it is, that may indicate that there is heat loss occurring somewhere in your home. The HVAC technician can help to figure out where that heat loss is happening by using special thermal imaging equipment.

Window treatments

You should be switching out your window treatments according to the changing seasons. In the winter, opt for heavy draperies or thermal curtains, which have heat-retaining properties. These treatments will help keep the cold out and the heat in.

Replacement windows

Double-glazed windows that have lost their insulating properties have a telltale sign. The window will have a frosty, hazy coating over some or all of the interior glass. When this happens, it's time to get replacement windows. Older windows weren't made with the same kind of quality as the new ones they manufacture today. Each time you spend money on replacement windows, you're actually saving money on heating your home. Be sure to bring your old window in to be measured before purchasing new replacement windows.

Weather stripping

Applying weather stripping around windows and window frames is a very effective, yet inexpensive way to cut down on heat loss. Weather stripping has an adhesive backing. Simply cut to fit and press down firmly on the clean surface. Don't forget to weather strip around door frames, too. You can also place a stuffed, rolled fabric strip at the bottom of doors to eliminate low drafts.

If you could actually see the heat escaping from your home every day, you'd be quick to do everything you could to stop it. Taking these simple steps will ensure that as little heat as possible escapes the confines of your home environment.

To learn more, contact a replacement window company like Alumaroll Awning & Window Co Inc.