Whether you’re preparing for the harsh winter months, the inevitable coming of the spring rainstorms or the brutal summer heat, it is important you make every effort to weatherproof your home. The temperature outside almost certainly does not always match the temperature inside, and unless you have properly weatherproofed and sealed your home, you could be dealing with some uncomfortable conditions and some higher than necessary energy bills, as well as making a more harmful impact on the environment.
Here are a few tips and tricks from our hardware store in Seattle about how you can best weatherproof your home:
- Maintain storm windows: If you have old storm windows in your home, make sure they are in good condition and have been correctly closed all around your home. In some cases, old windows in particular need some additional help to prevent air from leaking, which means you may need to caulk around the edges.
- Install cellular shades: Honeycomb cellular shades are excellent at keeping out cold air and drafts. Not only do they prevent that air from coming through the window, but they also protect against leaks and cracks around the frame. Lower these shades at night when the temperatures are beginning to get colder, then open them up during the day to use the sun’s natural energy to help heat your home. Some types of these shades will qualify you for a tax credit!
- Fix as many leaks as you can: Chances are you have air leaks around your doors and windows. Fixing those leaks can go a long way toward preventing lost heat and an overuse of energy. You can find drafty spots by moving a lit candle around the edges of window- and doorframes and gauging the movement of the flame. When you find leaks, patch the spots with weather stripping or caulk.
- Add insulation: Attics and basements are the areas in the house that lose the most heat during the winter, and (for attics) cool air in the summer. Adding insulation can provide you with some outstanding results when it comes to trapping that air inside your home and stopping air leaks.
- Install an upgraded thermostat: Modern programmable thermostats help you to better regulate temperatures in your home. Based on the schedules you set for your heating and cooling, you can save yourself a significant amount of money throughout the year on your energy bills.
- Add weather stripping: Weather stripping is a popular alternative to caulk that is used to seal gaps around your windows and doors. Using these strips not only keeps your interior temperature better regulated, but it can also save you 10 to 15 percent on your energy bills.
- Put draft stoppers on doors: Door draft stoppers run along the edges of your outside doors to help prevent cold air from getting in through the cracks.
These are just a few of the best weatherproofing tips and tricks we have for you. For more ideas or to learn more about how our company can assist you in weatherproofing your home to prepare for winter, we encourage you to contact our hardware store in Seattle today.