Lets take a look at 5 easy ways to winterize your home today
Winter is here; thus, the cold weather is upon us. It means that if you want to stay warm and safe at home, it’s high time to winterize it. But where to start, and what precisely do you have to do? It must cost a fortune, and you don’t have enough time to finish everything!
No worries – we are here to help. While it might seem that winterizing your house is extremely expensive and time-consuming, it doesn’t have to be like that. There are many ways to make your house warmer – and you can do it on a budget without sacrificing too much of your time and energy for the job. Read on to find out how you can easily winterize your house.
Take Care of the Roofing – Ways to Winterize Your Home
The roof is one of the most important things to take care of if you want to keep your house warm in winter; if it’s not isolated enough, cold days can get pretty unpleasant inside. Of course, changing the roofing can cost a fortune, but there are always ways to cut the costs. One of them is to get the EPDM roofing – a rubber membrane used for low-slope buildings. It’s easy and fast to install, highly weather-resistant, and made from recycled materials, so environmentally-friendly, too.
Apart from that, don’t forget about regular maintenance, which is crucial for effective winterizing: clean the gutters, check and repair flashes, and trim overhanging tree branches.
Fix Air Leaks
If there are any drafts in your house, the warm air is escaping your home – which means you’re losing money spent on heating. Improper insulation and cracks around your doors, windows, and chimneys are majors sources of drafts; you can seal or caulk them to fix this. It wouldn’t cost much, but it can definitely save you some money and energy.
Look for other possibly leaky places – most of them are pretty easy to fix. For example, the heated air can be escaping through the flue of your wood-burning fireplace, so you can close it when it’s not needed. Additionally, close the heat vents in the guests’ bedrooms, and put draft dodgers under exterior doors.
Add Insulation – Ways to Winterize Your Home
One of the essential steps involved in preparing your home for the winter is insulation. Insulate walls, attic floor, and basement ceiling – don’t let any warm air leave your home. Not only will you stay warm, but you’ll also avoid energy loss, as your heating won’t have to work harder, which will influence your bills.
Think about insulating your water heater and pipes as well (especially if they’re near the external walls) – it’ll help prevent them from freezing on cold nights. It’s not as hard as it sounds. For the pipes, you’ll only need special foam tubes; you can buy them in the hardware store – just check the pipes’ diameter beforehand. Cut them according to your pipes’ length and pop them into place.
Upgrade Your Windows
Of course, upgrading your windows can become a pricey project – so firstly, you’ll have to decide whether it’s necessary or maybe, with a little help, your old windows can keep you warm enough. Bear in mind, though, that aluminum windows are the least isolating of all types. Vinyl or insulated glass windows can be a better solution; however, if the winter in your area is especially severe, storm windows should definitely be your first choice.
Storm windows are installed on the outside of your windows and provide an extra layer of protection from the weather. They also reduce heat loss – and you can easily remove them when spring comes.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
If you have a relatively regular lifestyle, a programmable thermostat can be a great way to reduce energy costs and keep you warm at the same time. You program it once – and then every day, it adjusts the in-house temperature according to your needs. For example, you can set it to turn on the heat in the morning, when everyone’s getting out of bed, then turn the heat off when nobody’s home and back on again right before you’re back.
There are more benefits of the programmable thermostat: for example, you don’t have to turn on your AC during the day, as the thermostat keeps a constant temperature according to the weather. It can save you a significant amount of money and remind you to check the air filter to ensure the system runs efficiently. And, if it’s a smart model, you can even control the temperature remotely. If you need more information on automatic thermostat function and uses visit RMS to learn more
A Final Note on 5 Easy Ways to Winterize Your Home
To keep yourself warm, you have to take care of your home before the cold weather comes, especially if you’re not fond of winter temperatures. While winterizing your house can seem challenging, it’s really not that hard: there are simple ways to keep the heated air inside.
Insulate your walls and windows, take care of the roofing, and get rid of possible draft sources to make sure your house can keep you warm and safe. A programmable thermostat can be an excellent solution if you’re looking for ways to stay warm and keep the costs down in winter. Of course, winterizing isn’t free – but it can be efficiently done on a budget and in a short time.
(Beata Hardzei)
5 Easy Ways to Winterize Your Home is a feature post