Prepare your home for winter by making sure it will be warm and cozy when the cold temperatures arrive. Proper insulation is the key to saving energy and reducing heating costs. Here are some tips to ensure your home is ‘winter ready’.
Tips to Keep Your Home Warm
- Find out where your home is losing the most heat. Common culprits include poorly insulated walls, ceilings and floors; windows and doors; air ducts; and chimneys and fireplaces.
- Do a visual inspection for air leaks. Look for gaps around windows, doors and where different building materials meet. Feel for air leaks with your hand.
Seal the Leaks
The next step is to seal the leaks around windows and doors. If the front door is drafty, a door snake or door sweep can be a good purchase. Consider applying insulating film to seal up windows and keep heat inside your home. Use silicone caulk to seal small cracks and gaps. Weatherstripping also keeps water, cold air and drafts away.
What to Insulate
Protect water pipes. Frozen pipes can crack, leak or burst and cause a lot of damage. Insulate the corners and shallow areas in the attic to trap the heat inside. Insulate the garage too, especially if it’s used as a workshop. Ceilings, floors and walls should have adequate insulation. Chimneys, especially older ones, may also have leaks or gaps that allow air in. Flues should have chimney caps when not in use. Don’t ignore crawl spaces. They need to be protected too. Upgrading to double or triple-glazed windows will also keep your dwelling warm.
Winter Energy Saving Tips
Here are other ways you can protect your home when the temperature drops.
Control the Thermostat
Adjust your thermostat to a cooler temperature in winter. By lowering your thermostat by just one degree, you can save as much as one percent on your utility bill. Lower your bill even more by setting your thermostat to 65-degrees at night, and no higher than 70-degrees during the day.
Windows and Doors
Make sure all the windows and doors in your home are closed. Use rope caulk or weather stripping to seal off any air leaks. Money will be wasted if the heat continues to run.
Vents and Fans
Clear the vents in your home. Get rid of any blockage to ensure good air flow. Turn your ceiling fans to run clockwise in the winter to keep you warm.
Replace Air Filters
Ensure your heating system is running efficiently. Change the air filters once a month.
Install Storm Windows
Replace old, drafty windows with high performing ones. The switch will lower energy bills by an average of 12 percent.
Radiant Drywall and Insulation can take care of all of your insulation needs. Whether you want spray foam, batt insulation, or any of our other services, we are the place to go to get it done on time and on budget. Call us today at 631-924-0500 to get started.
