If you’re a homeowner, it is important that you know how to winterize your home. Even if you live somewhere that does not get a lot of snow, you still risk damage from other weather conditions. Plus, winterizing will help with your increased winter energy bills. The average household spends $2,000 annually on their energy, half of it going toward temperature control inside their homes. Beyond bringing in heating and cooling services, winterizing can also both reduce your energy costs and keep your home secure. Here are three tips to get you started.
Install Storm Windows
Once the weather cools off, install storm windows in all of your window panes. Storm windows reduce the airflow in and out of the window, keeping the warm air inside the house. Put these windows everywhere you can, particularly areas that end up being drafty. This will keep your house warmer while also saving you money on your energy bills, even without changing anything with heating and cooling services.
Insulate Your Attic
If you don’t spend much time in your attic, you might not have considered insulating it. After all, it shouldn’t matter if it’s cold up there, right? However, insulating your attic will prevent warm air from escaping your home. Heat rises and eventually, it will rise right out of your uninsulated attic. Put in insulation to slow that escape or stop it entirely. This will also keep the escaping warm air from unevenly thawing ice on your roof, causing ice dams to form.
Clean Your Gutters
Before the cold weather sets in, clean out your home’s gutters. Debris and water often mingle inside of the gutters, creating thick clogs that can prevent water from flowing off the roof and safely to the ground. In the winter, this water can back up onto the roof and freeze, causing ice dams. An ice dam can lead to leaking and water damage to your roof. So take the time to clear the clogs out of the gutter in order to keep them from happening.
Winterizing your house does not need to be complicated. These three steps will get you started, plus help you bring down your energy costs this winter, even before bringing in heating and cooling services. Once your home is winterized, you can have peace of mind knowing that it’s protected against any elements that winter might bring this year.