Now that the winter season has officially arrived, and the cold temperatures are settling in, the quest to stay warm and comfortable indoors begins. While your first inclination may be to crank up the heat, in reality, there are a number of other steps that can be taken to winter-proof your home. These steps can be much more cost-efficient in the long-run and prevent you from having to blast the furnace for months on end.
Here’s a look at some of the best ways homeowners can winter-proof their home and thereby improve energy efficiency, comfort, and protect the home itself.
Inspect Caulking on Door and Window Frames
A good place to start is by looking at your door and window frames and searching for any leaks or gaps in the caulking. You can carefully hold a candle near the frame where you suspect there may be a leak, and if the flame starts to flicker you know there is air escaping. For those areas where there is a leak, simply use a caulking gun to fill the spots.
Use Window Coverings to Your Advantage
Window coverings aren’t just a great decor item in the home, they can also help to winter-proof your house. Look for curtains that offer insulation as these will do a great job of keeping the heat in, preventing drafts, and helping to regulate the temperature in the room.
On the flip side, these work just as well in the summer as you can help to block the sun out and keep cool air in the home – so, they are a year-round tool.
Make Sure Your Roof is Cold-Climate Proof
A roof is a roof, right? Well, that’s not necessarily true. Did you know there are some roofing materials that do much better in cold climates than others? Roofing materials that are cold-climate proof are the ones that will be less likely to leak and thereby cause damage in the home.
Not only that, but a cold-climate proof roof is one that is better able to maintain a consistent roof temperature. This means it won’t release any excess heat through the roof; rather it does a great job of keeping that nice warm air inside the house where you want it.
These materials are also much stronger since they have to be able to handle the weight of snow and ice all winter long.
Use Ceiling Fans to Help Circulate the Warm Air
Those ceiling fans you use to keep the house cool in the summer can also prove handy in the winter. Simply reverse the direction of the fan and it will then distribute the warm air around in a much more efficient manner. When the blades spin clockwise they actually push warm air down into the room.
Consider Putting More Insulation in the Attic
Did you know your attic can be another area of the house where you can lose heat? By adding extra insulation to your attic, you can prevent that heat loss and then maintain a more consistent temperature in the home.
Each of these tips will help your home to weather the winter that much more easily.