Get Ready: 3 Preemptive Home Improvements That Will Save You Money This Winter
Winter’s cold, dry grip is preparing to seize your wallet and do terrible things to it. Fortunately, you don’t have to take the annual spike in utility costs lying down. There are several of preemptive home improvements you can do that will save you money and make you more comfortable.
Seal Those Gaps and Cracks
As houses age and settle, they start to develop gaps and cracks around doors, windows, fireplaces and even near your ceiling. These gaps and cracks compromise the environmental envelope of your home and let the cold winter air seep inside.
Not only does this make you less comfortable, it also forces your furnace to work harder to keep up. Use caulk to seal narrow cracks. For the bigger gaps, invest in some expanding foam. It can trim as much as 30% of your energy costs every year.
Replace Your Windows
You fell in love with those big windows when you first toured your house. The only problem is that they’re single pane, which means standing at them during the winter is like standing in front of an open freezer.
Home improvements like replacing all of those windows with more energy efficient ones can be a costly business, but you’ll save some money every single day of the year with them. If replacing all of them isn’t in the budget, considering covering the rest with storm windows.
They reduce heat loss, even with single pane windows. If you aren’t sure which route to go, consult a company like Valley Glass Utility to get a price quote and maybe even some advice.
Pad Your Insulation
Attics often have less than the recommended amount of insulation. That means a fair portion of that warm air you’re paying for is escaping into the attic where it does you no good.
Adding some extra insulation can save you up to 25% on your energy bill, home improvements like this keep you warm and also saves you money. Just as importantly, you don’t need to hire someone else to put in that insulation. It can be a DIY project if you schedule two days for it and aren’t afraid to get a little dirty.
You can’t stop winter from showing up, but you can do a whole lot to keep its ice-encrusted fingers off your hard-earned money. A bit of elbow grease and a DIY spirit will see you through sealing gaps and cracks, as well as adding insulation.
You will need to call in the pros for those window replacement, but it’s probably less stressful than manhandling windows yourself. When you add all of the improvements up, you get a nice, tidy savings on your energy bill.
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Category: Housing
