Prepping Your Home for Winter Weather

1/15/2020 (Permalink)

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get your home winterized. Heating your home is expensive but there are a few things you can do with a low budget that can quickly address problem areas. Follow this checklist of quick fixes to make your home more energy efficient.

1. Install a door sweep – exterior doors, especially older doors, can allow drafts into your home. A sweep can be installed at the bottom base of the door and can stop the draft from entering your home.
2. Install weatherstripping – you can seal drafty doors inside the door frame a foam or felt weatherstripping. A low-cost trick to find a draft is holding a candle along the edges of the door and seeing if the flame is moving towards you.
3. Add attic insulation – although this isn’t a very low-cost option, it can have huge effects on your bill. Use a professional to install this insulation but ask which steps you can perform yourself to lower the cost.
4. Seal furnace ducts – start by sealing the exposed ducts in the attic, crawl space, garage and basement with high focus on where the ducts and vents come close to the floors, ceilings and walls. Instead of duct tape use a more durable option like metal tape.
5. Lower the hot water temperature – lowering the temperature to about 120 degrees will save money and the water is still hot enough for dishes, bathing and washing clothes.
6. Check outside leaks – use caulk for small problem areas or foam sealer for bigger holes and pay attention to chimneys, vents, doors frames, windows.
7. Cover windows – using your drapes, curtains and blinds can actually have a big impact on keeping the heat inside your home. Although when it is a warmer day, opening the curtains to let the sun warm the room can also be beneficial.