How to Better Insulate Your Home
When winter rolls around, many homeowners see their energy bills skyrocket because they haven’t insulated their homes properly. Today in the Valley Insulation blog, learn some simple fixes to keep the heat in and the brisk air out this winter season.
Seal Drafty Doorways
Utilize rubber weatherstripping to fill spaces between the bottom and sides of your door and the door frame. Use a double draft stopper if the space between the bottom of the door and your floor is extra large. This is basically two cylindrical pieces of foam that slide on to the front and back of your door to prevent drafts from seeping in under the door itself. It very effectively prevents cold air from coming into your home in the winter, and can easily be slid on and off for convenience.
Related Post: Tips for Home Insulation in the Winter
Replace the Screen in Your Storm Door
When fall rolls around, you may want to consider replacing the screen in your storm door with a solid glass pane. Even though you’ll probably have your main door closed all winter, the extra layer of protection from the storm door will prevent drafts and keep out the cold.
Add Insulation to Drafty Windows
With some plastic sheeting and a hairdryer, you can add an entire layer of protection to windows in your home. You can buy plastic sheeting with double-sided tape at almost any hardware store. Just stick the sheeting to the walls and window sill and tighten the plastic by blowing hot air on the sheeting with a hairdryer. It may not look pretty, but it’s an easy, inexpensive, and practical way of sealing off windows for the winter months.
Insulate Your Water Heater
You can keep your water warmer during the cold months without using more energy to heat it by putting a jacket around your water heater. You just need to buy a fiberglass jacket from a home improvement store and wrap it around your water heater like a blanket. Adding this extra layer of insulation will drastically reduce heat loss and you will make the money back in just a few months with the lower utility bills.
Keep Up to Date with HVAC Maintenance
It is crucial to your HVAC system’s efficiency that you keep up with regular maintenance. This includes changing your air filters on schedule, cleaning your ducts regularly and repairing any leaks in them that are causing valuable heat to go where it’s not needed.
Related Post: Keeping Your Baby Warm This Winter
All of these steps will not only keep your HVAC unit running at it’s best level, but it will also improve air quality and help reduce allergy symptoms. You should also make sure that no furniture is blocking the vents so that the heat can be well circulated throughout the house.
Install Thick Curtains During Winter Months
Curtains that are pretty, light, and flowy are perfect in the summertime, but they just aren’t practical in the winter. If your home has very drafty windows, it would be smart to invest in some long, thick, heavy curtains. Thicker curtains will be a big help for keeping the heat in and the cold out. If your windows are particularly drafty, we recommend using curtains that have a thermal back for an extra layer of protection against the cold breeze.
Insulate the Attic
The step that will probably make the most impact on your energy bills is adding insulation to your attic. This will prevent the heat from rising and only heating the attic instead of your living spaces. Another benefit of a properly insulated attic is it protects your home from moisture, damp and mold.
Valley Insulation offers cellulose insulation and fiberglass insulation for residential projects.
We usually recommend cellulose insulation because it offers a thick coating and fills all the gaps and spaces in the harder-to-reach areas of your attic.
Contact Valley Insulation
If you’re looking for a reliable, professional, and friendly insulation service, contact Valley Insulation, LLC. We have provided excellent service for more than 40 years, serving customers in Cincinnati, Lawrenceburg, Harrison, West Chester, Mason, Batavia, Maderia, Hebron, Covington, Independence, Oxford, and all across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. For the best possible insulation service, customized for each client, contact us today.
