Is your house ready for winter?
If not, don’t sweat it—there’s still some time to squeeze in pre-winter maintenance before Old Man Winter comes knocking in full force. Just add it to that ever-growing list of things that you need to get accomplished within the next few weeks...somewhere between untangling lights and baking cookies, perhaps?
If you’ve been thinking about skipping out weatherproofing your home, don’t. Trust me…future you would much prefer to be sitting on the couch all warm and toasty, rather than chasing after the source of that elusive draft.
If you have already followed our advice on how to make your home winter ready, you’re close but not quite there yet.
Here are some easy ways to weatherproof your home:
Windows and Doors
If you’re in your house, chances are you don’t want the foul outside weather entering your domicile, right? That’s why it’s important to check your windows and doors.
One way to look for leaks is to move a lit candle around doors and window frames in your home. If the flame flickers, you’ve found a draft. You can then patch these spots with caulk or weather stripping. Additionally, you can purchase window insulation film to reduce heat transfer.
Expanding foam insulation is a good option to fill holes, gaps, cracks, seams or other openings larger than what is practical to fill with caulk. It insulates well and is a natural air barrier.
By purchasing (or making) a door draft stopper, you can help prevent cold air from coming in underneath your door.
Cooling Devices
Don’t forget to remove window AC units! Leaving them in your window leaves gaps that rather defeat the purpose of caulking and weatherproofing. When you remove the unit, vacuum the coils and filters and store them in a cool, dry place.
If you have ceiling fans, change their rotation to clockwise—this will push warm air down. You might as well wipe the blades down, too, while you’re at it.
Are your ducts in a row? A typical home can lose as much as 20% of air moving through HVAC ducts. You can seal ducts with mastic and butyl, foil, or other heat-approved tape. You can also wrap ducts with insulation.
Insulation
Is your home properly insulated? If not, it’s best to do something about it now. Though adding insulation to your attic or basement (or both) isn’t cheap, you’ll save money in the long run—especially on your heating bill. Heat (that you’re paying for) can be lost through uninsulated or under insulated basements, crawl spaces, and attics. Compare the insulation levels you currently have to what you should have, given your location, and add more if your levels are too low. There are plenty of insulation types available to choose from—pick one that matches your budget and needs.
Other
Using a water heater insulating blanket saves energy by reducing heat lost through the sides of the water heater.
A programmable thermostat, which automates indoor temperature, can save up to $200 off annual heating and cooling costs. You can even step it up a notch by investing in a smart thermostat which can be controlled and monitored via your smart phone.
Check your gutters and make sure they are pitched at the correct angle, otherwise they can overflow and threaten your dry basement. Don’t wait until the spring thaw to notice that there’s something wrong with your gutters.
Find and fix various cracks in your driveway, walkway, or steps, as these are a big trip hazard. If your concrete is clean and dry, you can caulk it. For small cracks, you can also use an acrylic latex concrete repair kit. For larger cracks, a vinyl concrete patching compound.
