TCBRA – Weatherization Tips
Posted by Dustin Horton // December 28, 2011 // Articles
With the holidays behind us and much of the country facing months of chilly or even sub-zero weather, it’s not too late to make sure your home is adequately weather-proofed and save a few dollars (or more) on your utility bills. Here are some things you can do to improve your home’s efficiency and make sure you and your family are comfortable through the winter months:
Check insulation
According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, in a typical home, about 10 to 20 percent of the fuel bill is the result of unintended air infiltration. Even in a well-insulated home, energy may be wasted through air moving in and out or infiltrating through the home’s building shell or structure. Air leaks around doors and windows, attic hatches, window air conditioners, and through cracks and holes. Opting for good insulation, such as a commercial insulation, for example, can pay dividends in lowering your bills.
Make sure your attic has a sufficient amount of insulation to ensure it stays at least five to 10 degrees warmer than the outside air, otherwise too much heat escapes. Not only will this cause your heat bills to be higher, but it can also cause frozen water to melt and refreeze which can result in a collapsed roof.
Inspect the weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows to make sure it hasn’t cracked or come loose, allowing air to leak, and replace it if needed. This can also help reduce infiltration by insects, dust and moisture and noise. Or, consider replacing your windows or doors with new ENERGY STAR-qualified windows or doors, which can save you about seven to 15 percent on your energy bills.
Maintain your pipes
Wrap your pipes with heating tape every winter and insulate unfinished rooms such as garages or sunrooms if they contain exposed pipes. Check pipes for cracks and leaks and have any damage repaired immediately to prevent costlier repairs later. Keep your house warm—at least 65 degrees. Don’t neglect your basement and crawl spaces, and insulate pipes in those spaces to protect against freezing.
It’s also important to know the location of your pipes and how to shut the water off. If your pipes freeze, the quicker you shut off the water, the better chance you have of preventing pipe bursts and major water damage in your home. If it does get damaged, look up plumbing repair in Sunnyvale, CA and nearby areas.
Inspect your heating systems
Be sure to have your heating system serviced every year by a reliable heating contractor, and maintain your furnace, fireplace, boiler, water heater, space heater and wood-burning stove. Then visit https://appliancehunter.co.uk/ first before buying a new boiler to make sure you are buying the right one.
Change your heating and air conditioning filters regularly, and while you’re at it, check the batteries and operation of your smoke and fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, check out their site to learn more relating to this.
There will come a time when your heating system such as a boiler and gas fireplace repair in Bothell, WA would require some replacements. In that case, all you have to do is to contact industrial steam boiler manufacturers.
If you don’t know it yet, oil are used to fuel your heating systems and they are stored in tanks. If you don’t have them yet, an oil tank installation is necessary so you are ensured of your heating needs during the cold season.
By setting aside a few weekend days now, you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle later—and your family can relax and be warm and comfortable throughout the winter months. For more information on home maintenance, go to tcbra.com or www.nahb.org/forconsumers.
