What Happens To Your House If You Don't Turn The Heating On? - Types Of Gardening

How electricity bills will rise for American households this winter

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Americans are facing an energy crisis, and according to the Energy Information Administration and the Winter Fools Outlook, prices for homes heated with oil or gas will rise 27 percent and 28 percent, respectively, between 2021 and 2022.

Due to Covid, the invasion of Ukraine and the embargo on energy imports from Russia, the demand for energy has increased significantly, which has destabilized the global market and led to prices being passed on directly to consumers.

As electricity is generated from many sources, including oil and gas, Statista estimates that electric heaters, the least economical option, can increase in cost by 10 percent.

The report shows regional breakdowns for gas and electric heating and predicts gas-fired homes in the Midwest and Northeast will pay up to $1,100 per season, while homes in the West and Southwest will pay between $700 and $800. The cost of electric heating is estimated at 1,400 to 1,700 USD in all regions, and about 1,250 USD in the South.

Rising energy costs and the cost of living caused by inflation have forced many Americans to make difficult choices and cut back on heating, groceries and luxuries. Last month, CNN reported that Americans are turning off their heating systems entirely to save money, but does the move come with hidden costs?

Newsweek spoke with Ian Walker, a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and John Catano, a professor and steam and hydronics course instructor at the Mechanical Institute of New York, to discuss the potential damage. what your heating system can do for your home and your health.

Health benefits of a warm home

Despite the high cost of living, as the winter months get longer, many people choose to wear another sweater instead of turning on the heating, but not turning it on at all can be devastating and expensive for your home.

Walker told Newsweek. "If you decide not to heat your home, and before you do, be very careful if you live in a very cold environment, as the internal surfaces will lower the indoor air temperature." Condensation that promotes the growth or growth of mold. 80 percent or more in housing."

Mold spores can cause health problems when they settle and grow on wet or damp surfaces. Asthma attacks and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat are the most common side effects of living with mold.

"Mold is invisible, and its health implications are that if moisture persists for too long, it increases the risk of structural failure in building materials such as window frames, walls, floors and roofs," says Walker.

Walker also notes that longer chilled water pipes can freeze and burst in cold weather, but notes that this can happen in more than just very cold homes, something to watch out for. In winter, they are removed for a long time, leaving a heater.

How to freeze pipes this winter

A burst pipe can cause thousands of dollars in damage to a home. If frozen water bursts in pipes, parts of the home can swell, crack or burst, leading to leaks and even flooding.

What is the best way to protect the pipes? "Warm up the house," Walker says.

"You can heat the pipes with electrical insulation with thermal tape wrapped around the pipes, but you can heat the house not only with the pipes, but with this electricity, so this is not the best solution," he said. "Another option is to recirculate the water through the pipes, even bypassing the pipes can help prevent freezing."

How can the cold affect the rest of the house?

In addition to affecting your health and heating, maintaining cold temperatures can also affect other parts of your home, which can cost you money. When the temperature in our home drops below "room temperature", most of our home suffers.

"The effect of low air temperature, which compresses various surfaces and materials in your home and dries out the low relative humidity, is not seen in an air-conditioned home," Cattaneo told Newsweek .

“With natural materials such as wood flooring, wallpaper and furniture, these effects are often visible on the surface, but cold and cracked pipes, cracked boilers and radiators and refrigeration equipment are next. They want to avoid deeper problems at all costs."

Cattaneo added that furniture and objects can have an effect. “If the temperature in my apartment goes over 22°C, my guitar will immediately go silent. The effect is felt immediately."

© monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images An elderly couple worries about their heating. Photo from photo agency. Cold homes attract mold that triggers asthma attacks and irritation near the eyes, nose and mouth. Monkey Business Images/Getty Images

Does insulation really help reduce energy costs?

Furnishing your home more efficiently can be expensive, but in the long run, you'll save money and suffer through hot summers and cold winters.

“Efficiency is best achieved by sealing the building or home. It doesn't matter how efficient your heating system is, as long as all the heat it produces escapes through the windows and walls,” Katane said.

The EPA estimates that properly insulating attics, basements, and basements can save an average of 15 percent ($200) annually on heating and cooling costs. In colder regions of the country, savings can be more than 20 percent.

"To save on bills, you can heat less and address comfort and humidity issues, or improve your home with better windows, better insulation, sealing and heat recovery ventilation."

One myth circulating this year is that there is an "optimal" temperature for maintaining a thermostat.

"There is no ideal temperature. To reduce energy consumption, you can set the temperature control to 60/62 degrees instead of 70, and you can use extra clothes to keep warm, in addition to the risk of moisture and mold.” After the energy crisis of the 1970s, we had to use energy saving, without significant loss of comfort, temperature changes during the day (usually cooler at night).

Cattaneo agrees. “The most effective room temperature is different for all homes and buildings. The goal of creating an efficient heating system is to achieve the heat storage capacity of building envelopes. In other words, this is the definition of good performance. The house heats up as much heat as it loses to the atmosphere.

Can heat be harmful to health?

Walker argues that a cold home can be harmful to health not only because of humidity, but also because of "cold stress."

"In very cold weather, unheated homes are most vulnerable, especially for more vulnerable populations such as the elderly or people with pre-existing medical conditions," he said.

He urged everyone to "put your health and the health of others first before making cost-effective decisions to heat your home."

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