How to Seal Your Commercial Space for Winter and Save on Heating Bills
Commercial buildings in Chicago often incur high heating costs. Windy days and lake-effect winds accelerate heat loss due to pressure differentials. HVAC systems have exhaust and air intake vents. When the wind blows directly on a vent, it changes the pressure readings. Your system works harder to compensate for heat loss.
It’s not just vents. If your commercial building has delivery bays and large roll-up doors, open doors can lead to significant heat loss. Gaps around doors and windows increase heat loss and draftiness.
Winterization should be your primary concern as a Chicago business or building owner. When your building is drafty, your winter energy bills soar.
It’s estimated that drafty buildings increase your heating costs by 30%. Commercial building owners also need to consider these issues.
- HVAC systems work harder to compensate for heat loss, increasing wear on heating components.
- Cold spots make tenants uncomfortable and less likely to feel they should pay rent when the heat isn’t working.
- Workers are 25% less productive and more likely to make errors when they’re not warm enough.
Electricity and natural gas bills are already high. Natural gas prices rose by almost 28% from 2024 to 2025. ComEd raised its electricity rates by 10 cents per kWh this summer, a 45% increase. Save money on your heating expenses this year by sealing your commercial space.
Understanding Where Heat Loss Is Greatest
Tall Chicago high-rises and multi-story buildings lose heat through the stack effect. Warm air rises because it’s less dense than cool air, moving heat to the top floors and creating high pressure. The lower levels are cooler and have negative pressure.
The resulting static pressure draws cold air into the building through the lobby doors and loading docks, and that cool air is propelled upwards. Heat is pushed upward and out of exhaust vents and roof hatches.
Loading docks are a problem for a second reason. When a truck backs up to a dock, there’s a small gap. Dock levelers are mechanical platforms that extend and lift to meet the truck bed. This allows forklifts to drive on and off the truck with ease.
The space below a dock leveler fills with cold air. That cools the concrete on the plant floor. Heat moves from the air to the concrete, warming it back up.
You might not have a loading dock, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t heat-loss issues in your building. The steel frames in commercial buildings are notorious for capturing heat and providing a path for it to exit the building.
Masonry and brick walls are another issue. The material is prone to cracking, which allows moisture to enter. Moisture widens the gaps. Cold air can get in through the cracked masonry.
Insulation Upgrades You Shouldn’t Ignore
Older buildings often have outdated insulation. The material type and R-values in your old building might not meet today’s standards. If you know what’s in the walls and ceilings, check whether it meets current building codes.
Roof insulation should be between R30 and R35. Foam boards or blocks are recommended.
Insulate any metal studs forming the supports in your building. Batt insulation between the studs prevents heat loss from one stud to the next. Irregular gaps and spaces may require spray foam to fill them. This is a good idea for areas where utility lines enter. The spray foam forms an insulating, watertight barrier.
Don’t overlook the value of insulating your building’s pipes. When heat leaves a basement boiler and must travel up to other floors, it is lost along the way if they aren’t insulated.
Check the gap under doors, too. If there’s a large gap between the bottom of the door and the floor, new door sweeps are important. Dock doors shouldn’t leave significant gaps that allow air to enter.
Finally, add plastic loading dock curtains to help reduce air loss when the doors are open. They won’t slash your energy costs by thousands, but they can help keep some warm air from escaping.
Other Tips for Getting Your Heating Costs Down
As a commercial building owner or manager, what else helps keep your energy costs as low as possible? Here are our top tips.
1. Explore EMS Upgrades
Look into an Energy Management System that automates your heating system’s HVAC processes to save money while ensuring comfort. Property managers remotely monitor HVAC operations and receive alerts if anything goes wrong, such as a zone suddenly dropping in temperature.
2. Ask About Rebates and Incentives
Check with your natural gas and electricity providers to see if any rebates are available for winterizing your commercial building. Sometimes, there are custom rebates that aren’t widely known. Always ask, as the worst that happens is you’re told there are no current rebate programs.
For example, ComEd offers both customized and standard incentive programs for businesses. With the installation of specific items manufactured or assembled in Illinois, you receive a 10% incentive. Fix It Now projects can qualify for an additional 20% incentive.
Improve your loading dock seals, get a rooftop unit tune-up, or repair or replace your furnace or boiler to get discounts from Peoples Gas. HVAC optimization also qualifies for custom rebates. You want to ask about a gas optimization study to help pinpoint the upgrades.
3. Use a Winterization Checklist to Tackle Important Projects
Save money by going through this checklist of DIY projects your maintenance team can do to lessen heat loss.
- Calibrate automatic door closures to ensure doors seal properly.
- Check for fissures and cracks in masonry.
- Check thermostat settings.
- Ensure roof hatch gaskets create a tight seal.
- Examine the duct and ceiling insulation.
- Inspect and replace door and window caulking and weatherstripping as needed.
- Inspect outdoor dampers.
- Schedule regular heating system tune-ups and cleanings.
- Service steam traps on older buildings.
- Visually inspect dock leveler seals.
- Walk around and feel the doors and windows for drafts, then pinpoint the cause.
4. Work With a Commercial HVAC Specialist in Chicago
When you want expert advice on the best improvements to make to keep your energy bills low, work with a local commercial HVAC specialist.
HVAC systems aren’t meant to last forever. Trust your commercial heating and cooling technician to advise you when it’s time to replace your system. It’s a costly endeavor, but the savings from installing a high-efficiency boiler or furnace help offset the cost of the new system over time.
Air Blue Heating and Cooling specializes in commercial HVAC and maintains strong partnerships with leading manufacturers, including Bradford-White, Carrier, Honeywell, and Nicor. We have more than 30 years of experience in commercial and residential HVAC maintenance, repairs, and installations.
Our customers are our main priority, and we assess and find the best ways to lower your commercial heating bills. We also share current rebates and incentives for commercial buildings to help you save money on upgrades and replacements. Contact us today!
