Winter-Ready Living: How to Prep Your Home
Winter is a wonderful time of the year for many reasons. If you’re lucky enough to have snowy days, the beauty of the snow on trees and rooftops is something many look forward to. Bundling up with your loved ones indoors with a cup of hot chocolate is also a benefit of the colder months.
Unfortunately, the cool air many families wish to escape can find their way indoors. Not only can this lead to discomfort, but you may also find your bills skyrocketing as you increase your heat to overcompensate. Luckily, there are precautions you can take to ensure a warmer winter. Here are some simple tips to prepare your home.
Have your furnace inspected
If you plan on turning your heat on, you’ll want to have a professional take a look before it gets cold out. In addition to having issues, many property owners tend to overlook whether it needs to be cleaned. Having someone inspect your furnace can give you that necessary insight as well as teach you how to properly maintain your furnace between visits.
Chimneys also need to be regularly inspected and cleaned. Creosote deposits from the burning wood can be cancerous. It’s also extremely flammable. Therefore, allowing it to build up and then lighting a fire can lead to damage to your chimney and home. Chimney specialists can also assist with installing a steel liner. Steel liners help prevent chimney fires.
Replace missing roof tiles
Holes in your roof are common culprits to cool air seeping into your home. If you haven’t had someone take a look at your roof in years and have been feeling a breeze, this may be the source of the draft.
Depending on the severity of your roof’s damage, you may decide to have your roof completely renovated. Consider getting a metal roof for your home for several benefits, including longevity. Metal roofs can last for about 50 years, making them a great choice for a new roofing material.
A company like Modern Standing Seam Metal Roofing offers quality metal roofing services. If you’re interested, schedule a consultation and inspection.
Update your caulking
Similarly to the drafts entering from your roof, you may find that the caulk in your home is allowing cool air in during winter months. Over time, indoor caulking can shrink or break apart because of moisture leaks. Replacing the caulk around windows and doors is a simple and affordable way to reduce your monthly energy bills during the winter.
Enjoying the beauty of winter is something many people look forward to. However, you don’t have to choose between being comfortable in your home and rising costs. Making these investments before the cold temperatures emerge will lead to years of lower bills.
If you like learning about home improvement, you can stay updated via our social media. Follow us at TheHomeMag on Facebook and Instagram.
