Winter will soon arrive, bringing cooler
temperatures and increasing heating costs. Be at ease, though! There are easy
and inexpensive methods to add warmth and coziness to your house without
breaking the bank. The materials and items you need will also be readily
available at the best online shop USA. In this blog post, we'll look at a few
simple ways to weatherize your home.
These suggestions are so easy to follow that
anyone can do them, and they'll keep you warm and save you money in the
upcoming chilly months. Let's start and learn how to make your house
winter-ready without spending a fortune.
Cheap Ways To Weatherize Your Lovely House
There are numerous ways through which you can
weatherize your lovely house. However, the following are some of the best and
cheapest ways you can follow in this regard:
Using Door Sweeps
A tiny window left partially open might feel
just as chilly as the tiny gaps around your front and back doors. It is true,
and we have a cost-effective solution for you through door sweeps. These
fantastic products in the best online shop USA are a top choice for preparing
your house for the winter.
One can be easily installed in a matter of
minutes. Here is a quick test to determine whether you require a door sweep:
Put a piece of paper at the bottom of the door frame before closing it slowly.
You've identified the cause of those chilly drafts if that piece of paper comes
out without tearing.
However, there's still more! Not just the
bottom of the door needs to be examined. It's a good idea to use this paper
trick to test exterior doors on all sides. You might want to consider
installing weather strips for additional protection if they fail.
Weatherproofing Doors & Windows
Weatherstripping is another cost-effective and
straightforward way to weatherize your exterior doors and windows in addition
to using door sweeps. You might be curious regarding the way to determine
whether weatherstripping is required.
So, do you still recall the simple paper test
we described before for door sweeps? You can apply the same technique! Put a
piece of paper along the edges of your windows and doors before closing them.
You've spotted the area that would benefit from weatherstripping if the paper
slides out with little effort.
Another helpful tip is that weatherstripping
could work wonders if you can insert your fingernail into the space between
your window and its frame. So why do we suggest it?
Premier quality weatherstrips from the best online shop USA protect against
unwelcome drafts, moisture, and outside dust. This improves indoor air quality,
lowers the chance of mold growth, reduces heat loss, and keeps annoying bugs
outside where they belong. It's a straightforward, affordable approach to
increase the efficiency and comfort of your home during the winter.
Using Caulk & Foam
Here's a fascinating fact: a 1/16-inch crack
around a window lets in as much chilly air as a window that is 3 inches wide
open. Sealing those gaps and cracks is crucial, particularly around the fixed
sections of your windows. It would be best to use expanding foam sealants and
caulk to do this. It's similar to covering your windows with a cozy blanket.
Another helpful tip is to use top-quality
weatherstripping from the best online shop USA if your windows contain moving
elements, such as ones you can open and close. However, expanding foam sealant
can close gaps wider than 1/4 inch.
Why would you bother with foam and caulk? So,
by sealing these openings, you're ensuring that your home's insulation performs
flawlessly. It is comparable to putting on a warm winter coat for your home.
Additionally, it's one of the crucial tasks in preparing your house for the
winter.
Seal Your Windows With Plastic
Have you ever noticed that some of your home's
windows allow a lot of cold air to enter, making your home feel chilly and
increasing your heating costs? There's a quick treatment for it, though: Using
window insulation kits, which are affordable plastic window seals, you can seal
your windows.
As we mentioned previously, it is an excellent
decision to ensure you have weather-stripped your windows before you begin with
the plastic. This procedure aids in sealing any gaps around your windows'
edges.
What makes us so fond of utilizing plastic
window seals? It's because installing brand-new, more expensive storm windows
can function just as well as this inexpensive plastic, which costs around 20
cents per square foot. Therefore, try this approach first before deciding to
spend a lot of money on new windows.
Is it essential to start in the middle of the
window frame and move to the corners to stick the plastic to the self-adhesive
tape? Additionally, start at the corners of the window and work your way toward
the center when using a blow dryer to smooth and tighten the plastic.
Use Water Heater Blanket To Cover Your Tank
Have you ever considered how chilly your
undeveloped basement or garage can become in the winter? If your water heater
is situated in one of these locations, it is continuously reheating the cooled
water, which results in significant heat loss and an increase in your heating
costs.
However, there is a simple fix: use a water
heater blanket to cover your water heater tank. It's like purchasing a warm
sweater for your water heater!
These blankets are inexpensive and can cut the
heat your water heater loses by 25% or more, which is why it's an excellent
idea. As a result, you'll consume less electricity to keep your water warm,
saving you money.
If you already have a tankless water heater,
you can still improve its efficiency and save money using low-cost pipe
insulation foam. To keep your hot water flowing and your energy costs under
control, wrap your water heater in a blanket or foam insulation before winter
hits.
Insulate Your Attic Door
You know, many attic doors are not correctly
made, and they can allow a lot of energy to constantly escape from your home.
Surprisingly, most homeowners are unaware that insulating this space can
significantly impact.
You need to realize that even the tiniest
space surrounding the attic door, as tiny as 1/32 inch, is similar to
continuously having a tiny window of 5 square inches open in your home.
Insulating your attic door is, therefore,
similar to providing your house with a warm hat. In the winter and summer, it
aids in preventing the entrance of cold and hot air, respectively.
Additionally, since your heating and cooling systems won't have to work as
hard, it can reduce your energy costs.
Seal The Outlets & Switches
Did you know that wall outlets, particularly
those on exterior walls, account for between 2% and 5% of the cold air that
seeps into your house? It might seem odd, but many homeowners only consider
sealing switches and plugs when baby-proofing.
The good news is that you can halt those
unwanted drafts and heat from exiting your home by sealing switches and outlets
that are positioned on the outer walls. To keep our homes comfortable, we
usually seal and insulate the doors, windows, and attics. It does make sense to
do the same for the wall switches and outlets.
The best part is that you may achieve this for
only a few bucks, and it will prevent up to 5% of the outside air from entering
your house. It won't cost a fortune to do that, but it's a great way to make
your home warmer and more energy-efficient.
Final Thoughts
The above are some of the best and cheapest
ways to weatherize your sweet home. You will witness significant changes in
your electricity bills and the comfort of your home once you implement these.