Today I have for you some really great tips on how to get your home ready for winter. Thank you, Cindy Davis, for providing West Street Story readers with easy, DIY tips that anyone can do to winterize their home!
The fall season has arrived and with it comes the perfect opportunity to prepare yourself for the incoming winter as well. Even those who don’t experience window because they tropical city should still have a look into how they can improve and protect their homes. Since they still have Rainy seasons, there are places similar to Window World Ohana to asist with their replacement needs. You should be able to find the gaps in your protection against cold weather with a bit of work. There may be weak areas or even cracks in your home that release precious heat outside that you can easily fix. If you manage to winterize your attic and basement, you will drive down your heating costs by a significant margin as heat will no longer escape the confines of your home. It shouldn’t make you break the bank or make you think about refinance mortgage options. You can also save money by comparing alternative energy plans from other energy providers against your own in order to find some competive rates. You could take a look at Amigo Energy and see how their rates stack up against your existing ones; doing so could save you a small fortune when it’s time to pay your bills.
- Begin Looking for Leaks
This is the initial, and one of the most important, steps in your progress. You should wait for a rainy day to check out the ceiling for leaks and any possible wet spots. You have to use weatherproof caulk if you want to be able to block off any of the leaks you may have discovered.
Check for drafts around your doorways and windows and also along the walls. Make sure you secure all the gaps for a more efficient sealing job overall.
Take a look around the attic and remember to look down. If you can see the ceiling joists with ease, this means you will likely need a bit more insulation up there to keep the warmth inside. You should have at least 12 inches of insulation for a more efficient overall result. You can either work with foam or with fiberfill for quick and easy insulation.
You should pay extra attention to the exposed pipes in your basement. Wrap some foam around them so they can be kept warm. If your pipes are made of plastic they will need no insulation. Metal pipes may burst and freeze in extreme cold weather, making their insulation a primary concern.
If your home has an attic fan, then you should turn it to work in a reverse spin so it will draw warm air up instead of sending the cool air down. Flipping it back to the usual operating rotation during warm weather will put things back to normal.
- Window Covers
The attic and basement windows usually have no curtains serving to block the cold air flow from the outside. You should cover them with a plastic film for better results. Kits of plastic film are available at home improvement stores and they will serve you a long time from now. Furthermore, if you’re tired of failing windows that leave your home drafty and uncomfortable, then why not increase your home’s energy efficiency and indoor comfort with some replacement windows from somewhere like Kelly Windows & Door.
- Covering the Attic Stairs
If you have an opening toward your ceiling with a retractable staircase, then you probably already know about the warm air being pulled up from the rooms you live in. These stairs can usually be covered with a traditional solution – a wooden box. You can also make one of your own if you need to, but in the worst cases you can simply cover the hole with plastic or tarp as a temporary solution.
- Sealing Ducts
Attics and basements often have duct work that is exposed and leaking warmth or letting in cool air. You should wipe it down, removing dust and debris, following that up with sealing the joints with some aluminum tape.
- Replacing Furnace Filters
Regular replacement of filters is necessary if you want things to operate at top efficiency.
Remember to pay attention to these small details at all times!
Author Bio: Cindy Davis is a dedicated blogger and housewife. She likes writing about home remodeling and household cleaning related topics. Therefore her present article treats household maintenance related theme. For further helpful tips visit: http://uphosterycleaning.co.uk/house-cleaning/