Many homeowners have trouble properly insulating their home, and when winter rolls around, their energy bills skyrocket.
If this sounds like you,
there are some simple DIY fixes to keeping the heat in and the brisk air our this winter season.
Below is a list of 8 tips for adding some additional layers of insulation to your home and preventing the relentless rise of energy bills this holiday season. Not to mention that most of them are inexpensive, fast, and easy enough to do yourself!
8 DIY Home Insulation Tips to Keep Your Warm This Winter
Tip 1. Replace the Screen in Your Storm Door
When fall rolls around it may be time to consider replacing the screen in your storm door with a solid glass pane. Even though you will most likely have your main door closed all winter, the extra layer of protection on the storm door will be a tremendous help preventing drafts and keeping out the cold.
Tip 2. Seal Drafty Doorways
Use rubber weatherstripping to fill spaces between the sides and bottom of your door and the door frame.
If the space between the bottom of the door and your floor is extra large, you can use a double draft stopper.
This is primarily 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 is very effective at preventing cold air from coming into your home in the winter, and can easily be slid on and off for convenience.
Tip 3. Add Insulation to Drafty Windows
Although not pretty, 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 store, simply stick the sheeting to the walls and window sill and tighten the plastic by blowing hot air on the sheeting with a hairdryer.
This is an easy, inexpensive, and practical way of sealing off windows for the winter months.
Tip 4. Insulate the Attic
Use Unfaced Insulation in your attic to prevent the heat from rising and only heating the attic instead of your living spaces. And don’t let the term insulation intimidate you, even the most inexperienced individual can handle this job.
Simply buy rolls of unfaced insulation and unroll it on the floor of your attic. Make sure the spaces between the joists are full of insulation, and when that is complete, you can go a step further and apply a second layer that runs perpendicular to the joists.
This can make a significant impact on your energy bills and is probably one of the most efficient energy saving options. And remember, anyone can do it!
Okay, so this project is a little more advanced but effective nonetheless. If you have an uninsulated wall in your home, such as a solid brick or concrete wall, installing drywall over the top can save a ton of energy.
By adding thick drywall, and some glass wool (which is also an excellent insulator), your cold wall will now be warm and help to keep the cold air out.
Tip 5. Insulate Your Water Heater
By essentially putting a “jacket” on your water heater; you can keep your water warmer during the cold months without having to use excess energy to heat it.
All you have to do is 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 reduce heat loss drastically, and you will recoup the money you spend in just a few months with all the money you will be saving!
Tip 6. Keep Up to Date with HVAC Maintenance
It is essential for the efficiency of your HVAC system that you keep up with regular maintenance. This includes changing your air filters on time with a quality filter, cleaning your ducts regularly and repairing any leaks in your ducts that is causing valuable heat to escape into undesirable places.
All of these things will not only keep your HVAC Unit running at an optimum level, but it will also improve air quality and help with potential allergies.
You can also make sure that no furniture is blocking the vents so that the heat can be dispensed and equally regulated throughout the house.
Tip 7. Install Thick Curtains During Winter Months
Certain are pretty, light, flowy, and perfect for summer, but winter requires something a little different.
If your home has very drafty windows, it would be smart to invest in some long, thick, and heavy curtains.
Hanging these thicker curtains will help dramatically when it comes to keeping the cold out and the heat in.
If your windows are particularly drafty, I recommend using curtains that have a thermal back for an extra layer of protection against the cold breeze.
When to Call an HVAC Maintenance Company?
When your furnace becomes a problem, and you simply cannot make it through winter, it may be time to bring in an experienced heating company to help you make it through the winter.
It is always a good idea to have your furnace checked before the winter months arrive so you are not in a jam when you go to use your heater and find out it is not working.
Be proactive and schedule an appointment today with the Assured Comfort furnace technicians