NEENAH (NBC 26) — The colder it gets the higher our heating bills can go.
And if you crank up your thermostat, it’s no secret it will also cost you more to keep your home warm.
“The cold spots on the bottom sides are in the 50s and we look on this corner we have a 57 degrees cool spot on the corner," said Josh Keeney, the president for Keeney Home Services as he used a thermal imaging camera.
He explained certain technological devices can help figure out where cold air could be coming in.
"This is called a blower door and what it does is that it shows us where all your leaks are in your house. At that point we can use tools like a thermal imaging camera to see and really colorize for the customer where the cold spots are and how we are going to fix them,” Keeney said. "It’s a very specific highly sensitive cool tool to show us what is cool and what is warm.”
He recommends homeowners get what is known as an “energy audit”. What he explained is essentially the process.
It is an assessment of your home that takes a look at current energy consumption and then identifies energy efficiency measures that you can conduct to make your home more efficient.
Once they assess a home, homeowners can then figure out what the best choice for them can be.
Keeney said a small repair now can end up saving you hundreds in the long run.
"Just like a good doctor, you're not going to have surgery done without knowing the facts. All of these tools allow us to make good decisions that are right for you as a homeowner, what is good for your investment, what is going to make you feel comfortable, and what is going to save you money at the end,” Keeney said.
Karl Hilker, the Senior Market Manager with Focus on Energy also recommends a few other ways to to help save money on your heating bill this winter.
“The use of high efficient lighting products. Wrapping the hot water pipes going into your water heater. The use of a low-flow showerhead. Those are all low costs, easy home improvement opportunities for homeowners that help address and manage their energy use,” Hilker said.
Experts also suggest changing your air filter every 30 to 45 days.
For additional tips from Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) on how to save money on your energy bill click here.
You can also watch the following videos from WPS for more information:
