Five Tips for Keeping the Cold Out this Winter

The average US homeowner who uses natural gas to heat their home will spend around $635 on heating their homes this winter, an increase of more than 20% over last winter. As the cost of natural gas increases, it becomes more important for homeowners to make sure that they’re not wasting it. Here are five tips to make sure your home isn’t letting warm air you paid to heat leave your home.

New insulation for the attic

If your attic isn’t sufficiently insulated, your gas bill is literally going through the roof. Putting in new installation is a project that will literally pay for itself over the course of a few years so there’s no reason not to do it if your home needs it.

Seal up or replace windows and doors

Old windows and doors can also be an exit point for warm air (and an entry point for cold air). You can install new weather stripping for doorways and caulk any remaining gaps. You can also caulk around windows or install new energy efficient windows. Triple paned windows will do a better job at keeping warm air in and will reduce outside noise as well.

Look for cracks or gaps in the walls

Cracks in the siding or gaps around dryer vents or plumbing/electrical entry points are also potential problem areas. Resealing these vulnerable areas is all you need.

Keep fireplace damper closed

It may seem like a small thing, but ensuring that your fireplace damper is closed when you’re not using the fireplace can save you a lot of money. Otherwise, warm air will be escaping right out of your chimney. Just don’t forget to open it before lighting a fire; your entire home and everything in it will smell like smoke.

Make needed roof repairs

It’s no secret that roofing issues can lead to reduced energy efficiency in your home. If your roof is showing some signs of wear, reach out to a Spokane roofing company to see about a free inspection and estimate. Take care of any issues that are discovered. It will cost you money initially but save you money down the road.

Home improvement news brought to you by bartonroof.com

Source: latimes.com/bp/la-ara-31812-easy-winter-weatherproofing-keep-the-chill-out-as-temperatures-drop-20171009-adstory.html