Preparing Your Home for Winter Weather
With the cold weather approaching it is time to pack up our shorts and get out the shovels. Fall is a great time to check around your house to make sure everything is in order before the snow arrives.
One of the most important things to take care of is insulation. Check the amount in your attic with a ruler. Insulation should be at or above your floor joist. If you fall short of that then you should add more and the attic is one of the easiest places to do this. While you are up there, look for any animals that maybe seeking shelter for the winter. Occasionally bats and mice like to seek refuge and attic space is perfect for them. Lastly, your attic door or entrance should also have some type of insulation as well, since this is a common place for heat loss in most homes. Styrofoam sheets work well for these entrances because you can cut them to a specific size and stack two high.
Windows and doors are also big draft areas. The plastic sheeting that goes over windows work great and can be bought just about anywhere. They come with a strip of tape that you line the windows with. Next you place the plastic sheet over entire window and use the hair dryer to shrink wrap it tightly. I have even put draft guards between the window and sill and then put the window plastic on which stops most drafts from coming through. Also check your caulking on windows and doors, if you feel the breeze or can see outside, then it is time to add more. Choose an all weather one that can hold up to the elements and make sure you pick a color that matches your existing caulk to save time and coordinate better.
Electric outlets on exterior walls can also have heat lose. Some builders do not put any insulation around these areas and if the outlet is on a exterior wall than you are going to get a draft. At your local store, there will be a box labeled outlet insulators. All you do is unscrew the plastic cover and place these on your outlet and then put cover back on. This is one of the simplest ways to prevent drafts and works excellently.
Getting ready for winter doesn’t have to be hard and if you take the time now to prepare, your heating bill and home will thank you.
