During the winter you want to keep as much heat inside the house as you can, right? With some small tweaks in your home, you can do just that!
Before the cold winter months come, winterize your house with these smart tips. Not only will you stay extra warm this summer, but these tips will also save you money on heating bills!
1. Switch Fan Directions
This is probably the simplest thing you can do to keep yourself warm inside your house. During the summer months, you want your fan turning counterclockwise. And during the winter you want to switch the direction of our fan to turn clockwise.
Hot air rises, right? Turning the fan clockwise will bring the heat that has elevated to the ceiling down while pulling cool air up.
2. Improve Homes Insulation
Maybe you’ve been putting this off for a while, but you know it will help for a warmer winter! Time to insulate your home properly.
You’ll mainly want to focus on the attic. This Old House has great suggestions here to get the most out of insulating your attic.
Insulating your pipes will prevent water from freezing in them. Foam pipe insulation seems to be a popular product people use to do this, and if your pipes are on an outside wall, look into heat tape that can be installed easily. You can find these at your local hardware store or home center.
3. Waterproof Basement
Look for any cracks in your basement walls. Most of the time you can fill them in yourself. Most minor cracks can be filled in with a caulking gun and the proper sealant.
If the crack is longer and lining up with a crack on your basement floor, call a professional to check out the deeper issue.
4. Change Furnace Filters
Another easy thing to add to your year round to-do list is to change the furnace filters regularly. This will extend the life of your furnace and you will get more heat for your money.
This will also improve the air quality in your home! You’ll be keeping your house warmer and cleaner with just a 5 minute task.
5. Fix or Replace Windows
When the weather gets colder, you might feel drafts coming around your windows. The first thing I suggest trying is foam tape weather stripping. This is a super inexpensive fix.
While the weather is still above 60°, take a walk around your home and look at the caulking around your windows. Check around the frame, and the window itself inset into the framing. Paintable caulk makes a huge difference! If your window has weep holes at the bottom, take care not to caulk them shut. These small holes help to prevent condensation and mold.
You can also apply clear window film. This is an easy DIY job that seals drafty windows. It’s a simple double stick tape application, and will become clearer and unwrinkled when the film is warmed up with a blow dryer.
Stores sell insulated curtains too. Unfortunately, they block the sunlight out of your house, but they will keep the cold air from coming in. Opening these curtains in the daylight hours will help passively warm the house.
6. Stop Drafts Under Doors
There are a couple of products and solutions for drafty doors. Using a door snake is a popular way to keep the chilly air out. It is simply a weighted cloth tube.
You can make these yourself and use fabric that goes with your home design. Just make sure to make it before winter comes!
7. Install Storm Doors and Windows
During the winter, you don’t want to lose any heat! Especially in older homes, installing storm doors and windows will add another installation layer to your home. Investing in these will definitely help to winterize your house.
8. Upgrade to Energy Star Efficient Products
Purchase products with the energy star label on them. They focus on making products and using practices that will save you money on your energy bills. They help your home’s energy work more efficiently. Some energy products you want in your home to keep it warm are basement windows, heating equipment, and furnaces.
9. Clean Gutters
Cleaning your gutters is an extremely important task before winter. If you fail to do this, water dams from snow and ice can become an issue. Icicles result from water dams that hang heavy on your gutters and can damage them.
Do this before it becomes a mess for you during the winter.
Winterize Your Home
Take these necessary steps to winterize your home before the cold months come. It may take some time to do now, but you’ll be thanking yourself when the winter arrives!
