6 Tips to Stay Warm in Your New Home
By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
1. REPAIRING DRAFTY AND LEAKY WINDOWS
Home windows are the primary source of heat loss and drafts particularly for older homes. In the event that storm windows are on hand, ensure that they're well attached and that they can fully close without having trouble. Utilize silicone caulk to seal off cracks and gaps. Clear away air conditioning units in the windows because the air vents on the AC could allow cold air into your residence. By making use of weather stripping on the wooden windows, you will help seal off the spaces that happen to be between the sill and the bottom of the window frame.
Old 1-pane home windows could possibly be leading to reduction of heat out of your home. Yet, plastic sheets or window treatments may help reduce heat loss. You'll want to be sure that the sheeting is air tight and bring down shades at night in order to retain heated air in the house. It is also necessary for you to open the window shades during the day to benefit from the passive solar energy.
2. DEAL WITH DRAFTY DOORS
It will be important for you to make sure that all your entrance doors close entirely and also there is no gap between the frame and the door. You'll be able to tell if there are drafts by just moving a lit candle around the door frame to find out whether it flickers. If it flickers, that's a clear indicator that there are drafts. You'll be able to fix the drafts applying silicone caulk or weather stripping.
3. PUTTING INSULATION IN THE ATTIC
Simply by insulating attics, you will help in reducing the quantity of heat lost through the roof. This will make certain you continually feel toasty and comfortable. Although adding insulation can be somewhat pricey, it's going to have a fantastic return on your investment.
4. USE A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT
A thermostat will assure your house remains energy efficient by keeping the bills low. If you put in a programmable thermostat, you do not have to manually set the temperature you find ideal each time you leave the house and whenever you get home. The thermostat adapts your home's temperature automatically hence supplying utmost coziness whenever the house is occupied. You can also set the thermostat to be able to tone down your house's temperature any time no one is in the home.
5. INSULATE OUTLETS
It is simple for someone to disregard outlets and light switches if they are weatherproofing their new residence. Outlets are essentially holes in the walls and they can be quite a cause of heat loss from your home or cool drafts, which explains why you must look at them. Hence, you need to ensure that they're insulated. Insulation kits used on electric outlets and light switches are pre-cut foam insulators that can be set behind the wall or switch plates. You may even opt to cut your own insulator foam but be sure that the foam is fire resistant in order to avoid electrical fires.
6. UTILIZE A WATER HEATER BLANKET
A water heater blanket is basically a blanket installed around your water heater to help minimize heat loss hence assisting you to save money on the energy bills. In addition, it ensures that the water heater maintains a steady temperature.
If you're searching for further resources about what to do once you move to a new house, get a hold of A-1 Freeman Moving Group, your local moving company in Colorado Springs.
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