Winterproofing Your Home To Save Money

Attractive woman relaxing with a lap top in front of a fireplace.

Winter is upon us. Festivities are great, but you may be feeling the weight of unforeseen bills. So, ‘tis the season to do everything possible to save money. Do not be too distracted by all the excitement. Save your money for what really matters by taking a few easy steps this season to winterproof your home.

Stop The Leaks

Are you letting energy slip through the cracks? Heat doesn’t need much space to escape. Some of the most common places for heat to escape are through your fireplace, under doors, and around windows. First, when it comes to your fireplace, smoke is not the only thing escaping through your chimney. Heated air can escape as well. If you are like most of us, you are using your heater alongside your fireplace. This means we want to save the warm air. One of the easiest ways to do this is to seal off the damper. Sealing off a fireplace is easy, and there are many tools and techniques to do so. But whichever you choose, do not make the mistake of accidentally lighting a fire in a sealed-up fireplace!

Doors and windows are also to blame. Draft stoppers prevent air from escaping under doors. They are available online for purchase. A rolled-up towel works as well. Have extra bubble wrap from your Cyber Monday shopping? Use it, or some extra plastic wrap, to seal up leaky windows. Sometimes it does not cost a dime to save money.

Think Backwards

In addition, once you have trapped the energy, you must manage it well. In some ways, this may seem a bit counterintuitive. For example, one of the best ways to save money in the winter is to turn your fans in reverse. It is natural to think that keeping the fan blowing downward will help circulate the heat. However, heat does not need your help rising to the ceiling. By switching your fan to the clockwise setting, you are pulling air toward the ceiling, forcing the heat back down. Stay warm and give your heater a break. Another way to manage energy is to turn down your water heater. In the winter? Yes, in the winter. Most houses have the temperature set too high anyway. This one step seriously cuts back on bills.

Winterproofing your home is an easy, affordable way to save money. However, winter is a busy season and that makes it hard to remember everything. Contact us today and let us ensure you are ready for winter. We are available 24/7 for emergencies.

 

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