Handy Tips for Getting Your Home Ready for Winter
Aside from insulating your home with cellulose or spray-foam, there are lots of little projects that you can implement yourself to help keep you and your loved ones warm and cozy this Winter. While some are a bit more involved than others, they range from quick and simple updates that can be made in a few hours to more extensive projects that require the eye of a serious DIYer.
If you really want to make sure that your home is winterized and ready to withstand cold weather, winds, and snow, take these helpful precautions.
1. Block out cold air drafts by sealing up the spaces around and underneath windows and doors. The vast majority of heat loss in homes comes from unsealed spaces that let in outside air. This can be remedied with weather stripping or caulking.
2. Install programmable thermostats that automatically turn off when you’re at work and other times when no one is at home. Even having a programmable thermostat that readjusts the indoor temperature according to the time of day and outside temperature can help keep your home warm and cozy and cut down on excess energy.
3. If you don’t have double paned windows, you can create a DIY version by cutting and taping strips of thin film plastic to your windows and blow-drying them to stick to the windows to minimize the effects of a drafty window.
4. Insulate your hot water pipes with foam (purchased at a hardware store like Lowe’s or Home Depot). This makes it easier for the water that’s passing through the pipes to stay warm until it gets to your sink or shower.
5. Switch your ceiling fans to blow air up, slowly as opposed to blowing air downwards quickly during the Summer. This simple trick can help keep warm air circulating in your room longer.
While these tips are great for a little bit of added support during the frigid winter months, it’s always a smart idea to call your local insulation company to make sure that your home is ready to take on the icy weather. We’ll take care of the hard work of insulating your attic, basement, and crawl spaces to make sure you stay warm and cozy this Winter.
