During the winter, our houses lose plenty of thermal energy through areas we wouldn’t normally think to insulate. If you want to assure better energy-saving standards into your home, you should closely pay attention to some weak spots in your home and make sure that you address your property’s insulation weaknesses as fast as possible. Keep reading below and find out which are the most vulnerable areas. Make sure that you fix those before the winter comes.
#1. Pipes
Your pipes need a little extra love when the temperatures drop below the freezing point. Pipes, in those sections where water tends to linger, and are unprotected from the cold weather, are in danger of bursting. Below-freezing temperatures make water expand and they can make your pipes burst. Besides, similar temperatures will make your family waste incredible amounts on water. It will also take longer for it to get warm and reach a good bathing temperature if your pipes are uninsulated. Overall, poorly insulated plumbing systems will most likely lead to unnecessary expenses and unpleasant incidents in the middle of the winter. Insulate those if you want to avoid similar events.
#2. Garage
While usually garages are used as storage areas, some of us really do prefer to spend some time in those spaces. If you turned your garage into a hobby-friendly area, you might want to insulate it. Some homeowners decide to turn these spaces into entertainment rooms or home offices. Regardless of your garage’s current use, if it plays an active role in your life, you might want to consider cleaning it up a little and insulating it. Foam insulation works wonderfully, but make sure that you check in with a professional insulation company. They will certainly supply an incredible quality of the final result.
#3. New Exterior Walls from Fresh Renovations
If summer caught you in full renovations, now, before winter arrives, you have to pay extra attention to any potential exterior walls that you built. You probably know by now that insulation pays for itself in approximately 5 years, through the immense savings that it allows you to make on energy bills. Thus, any new wall additions should be insulated before the winter comes. Otherwise, thermal energy will certainly be lost through those areas. Energy that could have been saved with appropriate insulation.
#4. Your Basement
If you enjoy the perks of proper floor insulation, you don’t have to worry about renovating this rarely-used area of your home. But if your floors lack suitable insulation, you must consider installing your foundation walls, as well as all crawl spaces in your basement. Include a suitable moisture barrier and make sure that you prevent humidity issues later on. The difference will be noticeable when your heating bill comes, thus it’s a great investment.
#5. Doors and Windows
Proper insulation around your doors and windows will assure you that the warm air remains indoors and cold air is never entering your home. This is a project that can be easily achieved by yourself. Consider weather-stripping your own home. You can find rubber strips in all home improvement stores and plus, it’s incredibly easy to install. Even if you already have all your doors and windows weather stripped, go ahead and check their status. Some deteriorate in time. If this is your case, go ahead and replace those.
#6. Attic
Proper attic insulation can help you save up to 40% on your seasonal heating bills. In many homeowner’s opinions, this type of insulation is only beneficial during the cold months but truth be told, it will also save up plenty of money during the summer. While during the winter attic insulation will help you save up on heating bills, during the summer, this type of insulation works amazingly to save up significant amounts of money on air conditioning expenses. While most homes already have a sort of attic insulation, make sure that you upgrade it. Older insulation rarely raises the current quality standards and this will only allow you to save insignificant amounts of money. While modern attic insulation may cost some money, the return of investment rate is incredibly high, according to the team at EcoComfort Attic Insulators. According to the team, poor attic insulation will cause to heat loss during the winter, while in the summer will most probably lead to overheating. This will overwork your electrical system, causing your energy bills to explode. Avoid unnecessary expenses by replacing old and inefficient attic insulation with highly-performing one.
#7. Floors
In case your property’s foundation is not insulated, you may want to consider installing proper insulation to your floors. This will raise your indoor comfort levels and will also help you save plenty of money. floor insulation demands another level of care and attention. If you plan to update your floors alone, you may have some troubles in the process. Better hire suitable help, since the process is a lengthy and complex one.
#8. Vents and Ducts
Vents and ductwork usually open your home to the cold temperatures outdoors. This usually happens in old elements’ case. But fortunately for you, there are numerous DIY vent and duct insulation projects that you can attempt, as well as numerous online tutorials to help you in the process. If you live in particularly cold climates, consider full insulation of your ducts.
#9. Outdoor Faucets
Just like in your pipes’ case, you want to make sure that your outdoor faucets are properly cared for. Otherwise, you will end up with frozen faucets and potentially burst ones. Install a frost-proof outdoor faucet, to avoid unpleasant events. This is a simple and fast DIY project that you can try before the temperatures drop. These are some of the most important areas that you should consider insulating before the winter comes. Insulating those will help you save some generous amounts of money and will allow you to comfortably live during those cold months. While some of these projects can be easily turned into DIY projects, others, such as your attic, demand professional attention.