Home Remodeling and Purchases for Fall

Preparing your home for fall is more than just cleaning up and getting your jackets out of storage. If you want to make sure your home is ready to stay warm during the chillier months, now would be the time to take action and consider making a few renovations and investments for your home to help keep utility costs down and make sure your family stays comfortable. Inspect your windows A lot of heat can escape through drafty, improperly-fitting windows. Caulking around the windows is one way to seal air leaks. However, replacing old windows with energy efficient windows is a better alternative. Not only will your new windows help keep air in, statistics show that you get a significant return on your investment with replacement windows, and new windows are an easy way to improve the appearance of your home.

Window treatments Insulated or thermal curtains serve a dual purpose in your home. Not only are they an attractive window treatment, they also help keep the room warm and cozy. Interior shutters have become a popular window treatment. They add an element of sophistication to the decor and provide extra insulation in a room. One of your fall projects should be to purchase and install new, energy-saving window treatments in your home.

Rugs Rugs provide some additional insulation in a room. If you aren't currently using rugs in your decor, adding them to your home can make it warmer and cozier when the temperatures drop. If you have rugs that have been in place for quite some time, cleaning those rugs should be on your fall project list. Pets, kids and visitors can track in a lot of dirt over the summer months. You don't want that embedded dust and dirt to remain in the rugs through the fall and winter and cause illness or allergies.

Supplemental heat After you've taken steps such as those previously mentioned, you might still be looking for ways to keep your home warm without breaking the budget. Adding a supplemental heat source such as a free-standing fireplace would warm up and beautify any area of your home.

Doors A lot of cold air can enter and warm air escape through an improperly-fitting door. Adding weather-stripping or caulking around the door can help stop air leaks. Decorative draft dodgers can be somewhat helpful in stopping air leaks. For the most effectiveness, you might want to replace your current door with a new door when you have your vinyl windows installed.

Decorating Your Newly Installed Windows For Fall

Brand new windows should never go unnoticed, especially with all of the investment and time it takes to replace them. With the colorful autumn season creeping up through shorter days and cooler temperatures, it is time to invest in a bit of fall decorating to really draw some attention towards those beautiful new windows. Colorful Window Clings Window clings are a cheap and attractive way to bring attention to windows. Vinyl windows are excellent for this, as the clings can stick seamlessly against them. There are clings for any season, whether it be Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Christmas. Some colorful autumn leaves placed strategically along the windows will give a beautiful, seasonal flair to the home.

The clings come in a few different varieties as well. some are thin plastic, while others are a thick gel. Using both will give some depth to the fall scene of the window. These clings can be reused for a number of years, translating into future savings. Holding onto the original packaging makes for easy storage.

Candle Light Candles are not only beautiful, but they smell incredibly amazing. This trick will not only give an indoor glow for visitors, but they will fill the house with a welcoming aroma that makes any guest feel at home. Wrapping the candles in fall foliage in front of replacement windows will make them look even more beautiful for those walking in front of the home along the sidewalk.

Autumn Rich Displays If candles are not a wise option due to fire hazards, other impeccable fall creations can be used. There are many ready made decor options sold in department and hobby stores, making the decorating quick and easy. For the craftier homeowner, the thousands of DIY fall decor tutorials on the web will provide years of inspiration. Energy efficient windows resist cold air, protecting delicate collectibles or handmade items that may suffer from the cold. One can try organizing pumpkins, leaves, handmade miniature hay bales, fake fruit, cornucopias, fall figurines, and more on the window sill for an adorably intricate fall scene.

Windows are often overlooked when decorating for the autumn season. However, decorating them is the best way to show off new windows, something every homeowner is proud of. Instead of worrying about sky high electric bills from poor insulation, those who opted for energy efficiency can pull the drapes back and enjoy the dependability of their new windows.

Get A Little Fresh Air!

Sure, we all remember our parents telling us to get outside and get some fresh air every now and again, but maybe they were onto something! Opening your windows to let a little air in has a lot of health benefits, not to mention helping regulate temperature to keep your energy costs down! Energy Costs

By opening the windows every now and again to let some outside air in, you can help regulate the temperature in your home to prevent overuse of the air conditioner. Keeping your windows open even for an hour or so at night when the temperature drops can do a lot to better circulate the air in your home and reduce the need to keep the air conditioner running all night. Better yet, if your home has been equipped with energy efficient vinyl windows, once it times come to close the windows back up and turn the air on your windows will keep the cool air inside your home where it belongs!

Health Benefits

Letting some outside air in will both keep your house comfortable and offer some health benefits, too! Indoor air pollution is a big issue, even if it’s something as simple as dust and pollen, and opening your window for a nice breeze will help circulate the air in your house and clear out some of the allergens and pollutants in your home. Of course, you’ll want to be careful - keeping the windows open too long will let pollen right back into your house, so depending on what you’re most allergic to you might not want the windows open too long!

A Nice View

This advantage isn’t maybe as tangible as the others, but opening your windows can really change the look and feel of a room. Getting some fresh air and sunshine can be just the thing to liven up a living room, or to help a room feel ‘bigger’ even without doing any major remodeling or redecorating. The next time you feel like you’re starting to get ‘cabin fever’, crack a window open and let some air in - you’ll be surprised what a difference it makes!

A Fall Home Preparation Checklist

Fall is coming, and with it comes the same mixed feelings regarding school starting, summer ending, and the start of beautiful scenery and brisk fall weather. But before you can get out your overcoats and flavored hot chocolate, there’s a few things around the house you’ll want to take care of to make sure your home is prepared for the colder seasons! Get Your Mind IN The Gutter

Considering average summer rainfall in America, your gutter and drainage system probably went through a lot over the last few months. Make sure to get your gutter cleaned out before the leaves start falling and make a bigger mess - and this way you’ll have less to clean out when the snow melts next spring!

Button Up and Stay Warm!

This applies to both you and your house. While it may not have been as much of a problem over the summer, during fall you’ll want to make sure your home is properly sealed and insulated to keep the heat in and the cold out. Weather stripping and caulk can eventually degrade and cause gaps, exposing your home to the elements and running up your heating bill. Another way to prevent heat loss is by installing energy efficient replacement windows, such as specially designed vinyl windows treated to keep sunlight and warm air inside your home where it belongs.

Tidy Up Your Furnace

It’s probably been a minute since you’ve used your furnace, right? Before you fire it back up, get your furnace cleaned out. Sediment can build up in the bottom and cause a potential fire hazard, and if your furnace is still powered by water you’ll want to drain and clean the tanks before you subject it to a lot of use. This will keep your family safe and your home well-heated - and isn’t that what you need this time of year?

There’s plenty of other things you can do to get ready - new lightbulbs, cleaning air ducts, etc - but we think these should be your first steps in making sure your home is prepared for the colder months! Stay warm out there, everyone - fall is just around the corner!

Unexpected Ways to Conserve Energy

We all know energy conservation can benefit your home, your family, and the environment, and most people take small steps to save energy every day. But there’s a few less common methods to conserve energy and lower your energy bills that most people might not think of! Let’s go off the beaten path a bit and look into some more unexpected ways to conserve energy around your home! Check Out Your Ducts and Heater

Sure, everyone knows that keeping a close eye on your thermometer is a good way to help manage energy bills, but not as many people know that performing regular maintenance on your heating system can do just as much to keep heating costs down! Even basic maintenance like lubricating joints, tightening connections, and cleaning the coils in your heater can help the system work more efficiently and reduce the amount of energy it takes to heat your home. It might not be the cleanest work, but your wallet will thank you when it’s done!

Upgrade Your Appliances Regularly

This one might be a little more expensive up-front but the long-term savings and advantages will more than make it worth it. The simple fact is that older appliances are less energy efficient than newer models, especially models with the government’s EnergyStar certification. Even smaller appliances like washing machines and dishwashers can be upgraded to reduce water, heat, and energy usage for your house, all while providing you with a more usable and functional appliance to help out around the house!

Know What Your Windows Are Made From (And Decorated With)

Windows are a big source of heat loss and cold gain during the year, but not in ways you might think! The material of the window itself - as well as the material of the window frame - can affect how much heat your home retains. Vinyl replacement windows in multiple panes filled with argon gas are one of the most effective ways to keep heat in your home, and even making sure the frame of the window is the correct material and is correctly installed will do much to help keep heat in. Window dressings help too - while awnings might provide shade, they don’t do much to keep your home heated or cooled. Thick curtains, however, actually have been shown to keep your home insulated from leaking either hot or cold air and running up your energy bill!

Hopefully these lesser-known tips help you keep your home just the temperature you want it, without running up your bills! Good luck, and stay warm - or cold - out there!