Most homes have air leaks that can unknowingly have a substantial impact on a homeowner’s energy bills. If your home is not properly insulated, you could be losing almost half of your heat in the winter and half of your cooled air in the summer. Your first instinct might be to just adjust the thermostat, but why do that when you can solve a lot of the problems easily, affordably, and over the course of a single weekend?
Home Insulation Tips
In this blog post, we will show you how to insulate your house and in doing so, help you save potentially hundreds on your annual energy bills. Here are eight home insulation tips, most of which you can do over the weekend.
- Caulk the Windows
Cracked or missing caulk around your windows is a common cause of air leaks. Run your hand around the edge of your window to feel for any signs of a breeze. If you feel a breeze or your caulk is old and worn, then remove the old caulk and apply a fresh bead around the window to seal it. Repeat these same steps on every window in the home.
- Seal the Home’s Entry Door
The entry door and any other exterior doors on your home can also be major sources of air leaks. Install new weather-stripping or sealant strips around the jamb to help eliminate air leaks around the door, and install brush trim along the bottom of the door and your letter box, if you have one.
- Fill Floor Gaps With Sealant
In most homes, you’ll find a small gap between the bottom of the wall and the floor. Filling these gaps with silicone floor sealant will help eliminate air leaks between floors. If you have hard flooring, then you can also insulate the room better by using area rugs.
- Hang Insulative Window Dressings
Some curtains are designed to help insulate rooms better than others. Simply using these types of window dressings throughout your home can help block the flow of air that may be coming through the windows.
- Improve the Insulation in the Attic
Laying down an additional layer of insulation in your attic can have a dramatic effect on your home’s comfort level and efficiency. Plus, insulation is affordable and easy to install, even if you have no prior experience.
- Insulate Your Water Heater Tank
An uninsulated water heater tank loses heat throughout the day, causing the flame or element to turn on to reheat the water inside. By wrapping the tank in an insulative tank jacket, you can cut the amount of heat being lost by 75%.
- Insulate Any Concrete Cold Walls
If you have a concrete wall in your basement that is uninsulated, you should consider building a thin wall over it. Frame it out, add insulation, and install drywall over it. This will help prevent cold from seeping into your home.
- Update Your Windows
This is one of the home insulation ideas that you won’t be able to do yourself, but replacing old single-pane windows with double-glazed windows could help you save hundreds of dollars on your heating and cooling bills. Having them installed will also add value to your home.
Need New Windows? Call Thompson Creek Window Company
Brand new windows can transform the look and feel of your home. In fact, replacing your old windows with modern double-glazed windows is the best thing you can do to help insulate your home. If you want to find out more about your window options, contact the window professionals at Thompson Creek Window Company today to receive a free estimate for your new windows.