3 Home Improvements That Make Sure Winter Weather Doesn’t Put You Out

We’ve had temperatures reach record highs in recent years in certain parts of the United States. Cold weather is here, and a good portion of the country has already received winter precipitation and the polar vortex. It is time to start making changes to your house the same way you have your wardrobe.

The three tips below will make your home a welcoming, safe home of warmth from the outside elements in no time. The positive side to the tips I’m offering is they are energy efficient too. Maybe a change will dramatically lower the utility, or one of the changes would only need a bit of hard work. Whether you are renting or buying your house, these three tips are going to help keep your living condition warmer and keep your bill down too.

Have an Energy Audit Done

The ideal way to get your house running on its highest level of efficiency is to pay for a BPI certified energy rater to check out all of your spaces. When they are done with their scans and tests, you will get a piece of paper letting you know your energy and space issues. You will be able to target and repair the problems afterward, but maybe hiring someone is not in your budget because you need to cut down on the energy bill to save money. If this is the case, get a red thermometer. Point it at areas to identify air leaks and start to fix the problem areas.

Seal up the Can Lights

Gaps in can lights are well known for letting warm out and cold air in. “Can lights” are recessed lights in the ceiling. The older ones have vents in them on purpose too. It prevents them from overheating. Since warm air rises, it is a good idea to seal these off with caulk to keep your furnace heat from escaping. “Can lights” are a huge problem with warm air leaving and costing more money on the utility bill. They are a liability that need to be attended to quickly.

Examine the Heating System

Giving your heating system a tune-up will keep the air inside your house warm, safe and healthy. Also, it can prevent fatal carbon monoxide leaks and save energy. Another plus to having a fine-tuned heating system is keeping necessary function systems of your house warm, including the pipes. A cold snap can hit at any time and start bursting pipes, but if you use a service like The Clean Plumbers beforehand, you can make sure your pipes are insulated in preparation for sub-freezing temperatures. Many unprepared people deal with burst pipes and malfunctioning heating systems when it is avoidable.

These three tips will assist your comfort level and your utility bill. Do additional research too. There are thick guides written on how to winter-proof a house, and these three tips are great starting points to keeping your living area warm during the cold season.