Getting New Carpet: When and How
September 16, 2014
3 Easy Ways To Warm Up Your Bedroom
October 2, 2014How much do you spend on utilities? Are you looking for ways to save? A typical American household spends about $2,100 on energy bills each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Most of that expense comes from a home’s energy use during the winter heating season. But a quick home checkup can help you can reduce these costs, prepare for winter and enjoy energy savings.
Properly installed and maintained windows and doors can help keep your home more comfortable year-round. Save on heating costs by preparing your windows and doors for winter with these tips:
* Clear sills and moving parts of dirt and debris. Debris like sand, dirt or leaves can get caught in windowsills and moving parts of windows or doors. Clean these areas with a dry paintbrush to create a tighter seal and enhance window and door performance.
* Check weather stripping. Re-attach or replace missing or worn weather stripping around windows and doors. Loose weather stripping can let cold air in during the winter and out in the summer, reducing energy efficiency.
* Reapply caulk or sealant around windows and doors. Reseal areas around windows and doors that may have been exposed to heavy weather or extreme sunlight – creating breaks in caulk or sealant – to help reduce potential drafts and leaks.
* Installing snap-in blinds or shades. Install snap-in blinds or shades to help insulate your home from cold outdoor temperatures. Pella Designer Series windows and patio doors feature convenient between-the-glass options to add energy efficiency and privacy.
* Repair or replace damaged exterior surfaces. Cracked or deteriorated wood associated with water penetration may allow moisture or cold air to leak into your home. Look closely for signs of moisture leakage and replace damaged wood. Consult a professional to help correct any roof or drainage problems around your home.
* Install storm doors. Storm doors add an extra layer of protection and help reduce air and moisture leakage. Adding a Pella storm door to your exterior doors can reduce energy loss through the entryway by up to 45 percent.
* Replace old windows and doors with energy-efficient ones. If you have single-pane glass, clear glass, or older windows or doors, you may be paying more to heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer. Replace old windows with energy-efficient, double or triple-pane glass versions made with insulating argon, or install new durable fiberglass doors to help save money and energy year-round.
Contact us today for a free estimate to have new energy efficient windows and doors installed before the cold weather hits!
More from my site
Updating Your Home: Six Important Things That Homeowners Often Forget About
3 Common Heater Problems You Can Fix Yourself
Winter Home Dangers: How to Avoid Major Cold-Weather Disasters
5 Warm, Cozy Home Tips for Those Cold Winter Months
Homeowners: Save on Your Heating & Cooling Bill
How to Properly Service Your Hot Water Systems
23 Comments
Apart from your windows and doors, you must also prepare
your roofs for the winter. With winter comes snow, which can sometimes result
in leaky roofs. Deposition of snow on your roof can damage your roof. You can
consult a http://www.schulteroofing.com/
for assistance in the matter of taking precautionary measures.
bulletproofroofer Thanks for adding roofs! They certainly are taking a beating here in the Northeast this year!
Is there any way to gauge how well a certain type of sealant is working? Also, is there a specific type of sealant to use for hot weather? I am getting ready to replace some gaskets around the house and would like to know if there is any specific type of sealant I can use in conjunction that will make my repairs more permenant. Thanks for sharing these suggestions, this was a very enlightening article! http://www.indgas.com.au/gaskets
Thank you so much for the tips on how to prepare my windows and doors for the winter. I really like the tip to reapply caulk or sealant around windows and doors. That way you can be sure that no leaks or cracks are present. If they are present, then the cold will be able to get inside. Nobody wants that, especially in the winter. I will be sure to do that next winter.
http://www.pacifictimberproducts.com/home.php4?page=velux
Glass doors are aesthetically pleasing and also allow more light. I think this year I will check the weather stripping and sealant on my doors to make sure I keep the warm air inside and the cool air out. Should I hire someone to reapply the caulk or would it be pretty easy to do on my own? http://www.glasspros.ca/commercial_doors
brookexzcason If you’re handy, I’m sure you could handle it yourself. We always say, when in doubt…hire a pro! Thanks for the feedback.
These tips for winterizing your home may seem like common sense. However, you would be surprised with how many people neglect doing proper research before they do something like this. You have to do what is best for you and your family, both financially and physically. The last thing that you want is for your home to be freezing because of a poor choice of window. http://www.gilkey.com
I think that taking care of your windows, especially if they are wood, is very important. If you find deterioration, would it be difficult to replace it on my own? I don’t have a lot of experience with this in particular, but I have fixed other things around my house.
http://www.stoptherot.com.au
Taking good care of your windows seems like a good idea to increase the life of them. I would think the last thing that someone would want is to have problems with their windows for lack of preparation. Thankfully, there seem to be services out there that can help replace or repair windows should there be any problems. http://kcglassinc.com/
robbhardy3 If you’re handy, you might be able to do it on your own. Old wood windows are tricky though and we would recommend hiring a local professional. Thanks for the comment!
James Lisbon We agree James! Thanks for your feedback.
I need to replace a screen door. How do I apply the screen to the frame? Thankfully, I found all the supplies for the project. All I need now is the know how of putting it all together.
http://www.pacifictimberproducts.com/home.php4?page=velux
bryanflake1984 Here’s a great step by step article to walk you through the process: http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-replace-a-fiberglass-screen/index.html. Hope that helps! Thanks for the comment.
I really like reading articles like this that are straightforward about tips you can use to make your home more energy efficient. I’m still living in a rental, but the bills have been high the past year. I’d love for my landlady to go around her home and check where there might be room to make things more energy efficient, like her windows. They seem pretty old and I’m sure they’re letting a lot of the warm air out during the winter. I could probably do a few of these on my own though, so thank you! http://www.gilkey.com/windows/casement-windows.php
The tip that stuck out to me was when the article mentioned that installing storm doors can be a good idea. Something like that could also depend on different factors like where the home is located and the weather. It would probably be a good idea for people to do some research to determine what option would be best for them. http://www.fivestarwindows.com/products.php
Gary, these tips that you provided are wonderful. Usually before winter comes I would get into a habit of doing minor glass repairs. Most of those repairs would be fixing up cracks and even having to replace a couple of windows. http://www.moorabbinglass.com.au
These are some great tips! I personally want to get new blinds. I think it would help me in the winter and the summer. It would probably help me with cooling as well as heating costs. http://www.sunblindsandcurtains.com.au/external-blinds–awnings
Gary, It’s good to see that replacing old windows can actually help to prep for winter. I’m planning on replacing a few windows inside my home. I have noticed that they let in cold air and don’t seal all of the way.
http://www.beisselwindows.com/services/soffitfascia/
Gary, I never considered checking my weather stripping before winter. Last winter I think I had a cool breeze coming from somewhere and this might have been a good tip to know. Being able to keep your home insulated and warm during the cold months of winter sounds like it could really help save on heating costs. My parents just had some skylights put in their home and this might be good advice for them to consider. http://bradentonwindow.net/Shower-Door-Installations-Bradenton-FL.html
Gary, this is some really good advice about how to get your windows ready for winter. I liked that you talked about repairing any damage to the exterior of the window. It also seems like a good idea to replace the glass if it is damaged. It would be awful if a window completely broke in the middle of winter. http://glassrepairsperth.com.au
I liked your tip about applying more caulking to the door handles and windows. I would really like to replace my door handles. It’s good to remember that you do that after I get them installed. Do you know of anywhere you can get unique door handles. http://www.thelockandhandle.com.au/blog/unique-door-handles
I found the part interesting when it talked about how storm doors can help with possible air leakage. When someone is heating or cooling their home, I can see how they probably wouldn’t want the air leaking out. That being said, it might be a good idea to keep your eyes open for potential problems. http://www.trirom.ca/en/
I think it is awesome how you said to contact a professional before winter hits to help someone with a leaky roof. This is definitely something you need to make sure you do. Because there is nothing worse then having to deal with a leak in the middle of the winter. http://www.anyroof.net