As the outside temperatures begin to drop, your thermostat goes up. But your home can waste energy and drive up your power bill if it isn’t energy efficient. Proper insulation keeps you warm in the fall and winter, and so does sealing air leaks around your house.
Here’s a look at four things you can do to make your home more comfortable during the fall and winter while saving money on your power bill, too.

1. UPGRADE TO SPRAY FOAM INSULATION

One of the most important steps is to improve the insulation in your attic. Heat is lost through your attic if you don’t have quality insulation to block its escape. If you live in an older home, then the insulation may not be up to current standards, since improvements in energy efficiency are made all the time.

If you have fiberglass batt insulation, upgrading to spray foam could keep your home warmer. Spray foam flows into gaps and follows the contours of your attic before it hardens in place. This ensures a good seal that eliminates leaks that let heat escape.

Spray foam is also used on walls, so if you’re planning to renovate your older home, then you might want foam insulation applied to the walls as well.

2. COVER YOUR WINDOWS

If your home hasn’t been upgraded with energy-efficient windows, the glass could be a source of heat loss. If you feel cold air when you stand next to your windows in the winter, then the windows could benefit from insulation.

Start with weatherstripping to seal gaps around the frames that allow chilly air to leak inside. If you don’t have storm windows to put in for the winter, then try covering the windows with plastic.

You can buy window kits at a home improvement store. The kits come with plastic that seals around the windows using heat from a hairdryer. This method blocks heat loss and chilly drafts, and although it may not be attractive, you can take it off as soon as warm weather returns.
Also, try switching to heavy curtains during the winter to add insulation to the windows and help hide the plastic sheet treatments.

3. SEAL AIR LEAKS AROUND THE HOUSE

Older homes tend to have air leaks due to the less energy-efficient way they were constructed and also due to aging and damage. It’s a good practice to go around your home every year and seal the gaps. This helps with energy efficiency, and it has the added bonus of keeping out pests such as mice that are looking for a warm winter home.

One likely place to find air leaks is underneath exterior doors. Apply door sweeps to the bottom or use a draft stopper to keep cold air outside where it belongs. Damage caused by insects and rodents can also allow warm air to escape, as can gaps around pipes and other protrusions. Make repairs or seal these areas with caulk as needed.

4. CLEAN YOUR FURNACE

With new insulation and all the air leaks plugged, your home will stay nice and cozy, as long as your furnace is working efficiently, too. Having your furnace cleaned and serviced when cold weather looms is another important part of getting your home ready for winter.

A clean furnace operates more efficiently, and one that’s serviced regularly is also less likely to break down. A side benefit of adding insulation to your attic and plugging cold drafts is that your furnace won’t have to work as hard to keep your home comfortable and warm. This might be reflected in lower power bills and a longer life for your furnace.

These four steps could mean the difference between warm comfort on cold winter nights and shivering cold when the temperatures plummet outdoors. Older homes are charming and reminiscent of simpler times, but they aren’t usually energy efficient until you take steps to improve insulation and work on areas where heat is lost.

When you’re ready to add new insulation to your older home, call Spray Foam Tech, LLC. We’re ready to help.