Prevent Home Energy Loss Before It Starts

Homeowners are always looking for ways to cut energy costs and do their part for the planet as well as their wallets. It’s one thing to do things like switch to more energy efficient lightbulbs or turn the thermostat down a few degrees after they get a big bill. But why wait until you get surprised with a big bill to start making changes? Closely monitoring your home’s maintenance is a great way to stop opportunities for energy loss before they can turn into wasted money.

Furnace/Air Conditioner Maintenance

Many people think furnace or air conditioner maintenance involves simply changing out the filters on a regular basis and nothing more. Replacing the filter can help decrease energy costs, but it doesn’t prevent the system from breaking down. The bad news is some of the issues that can arise, such as a malfunctioning thermostat, can cost homeowners a great deal in energy bills. In the spirit of cutting energy costs, one should have the system inspected and tuned-up regularly, particularly right before summer and winter.

Seal Air Leaks

Insulation and caulking around doors and windows deteriorates over time. The resulting air leaks not only cause energy bills to spike, but also strain heating and cooling systems, which can lead to costly repairs. Homeowners can spare themselves the unnecessary expense by inspecting the area around windows and doors regularly and sealing any air leaks they find. You’ll be glad you took the extra time to this!

Protect the Windows

People often enjoy throwing open the windows and letting the fresh air in instead of running the air conditioner, which is a great way to cut energy costs during the warm summer months. However, even when windows are closed, they may serve as a constant drain on heating and cooling systems. People can avoid this by simply adding a layer of protection such as window shades or drapes. One may even consider replacing their windows with vinyl windows since they help protect the home from outside temperatures, thus save on energy bills.

Monitor the Thermostat People often adjust the thermostat the moment they walk in the door. All they succeed in doing, however, is causing the system to work overtime and their energy costs to soar. Avoid touching the thermostat until one adjusts to the interior temperature. One may find the house is rather comfortable and the thermostat setting is perfect. If you and your family are out of the house all day and you want to keep the temperature down during the day but don’t want to come home to a cold house, you might want to consider a getting a programmable thermostat. That way, your house will be cooler when nobody is at home, but you can set it to warm up when it’s almost time to come home. You won’t even have to think about changing the thermostat!

Tips to Help You to Prepare for the Winter Snow Removal

Winter may be the most beautiful season of all, but it can bring some pretty harsh conditions. If you are feeling a little overwhelmed with the weather and what it leaves behind, you are not alone. The fact is that snow removal can be dangerous work if not done correctly. Here are a few tips to help keep snow removal as easy and stress free as possible.

Prepare Your Snow Removal Gear

Fall is the perfect time to get your snow removal gear ready for use. The fact is that you need everything ready before the first snow arrives or you could find yourself in trouble. Have shovels placed near your doors. Your snow blower should be inspected as well as your plow truck if you have one. For ice build ups, it is important to have a healthy supply of salt close by and deicer for your vehicle. The last thing you want to do is to find out your snow blower isn’t running correctly, your snow shovel is falling apart, or that you’re all out of salt once you’ve just been hit with a significant amount of snow.

Prepare for Snow Removal Service

If you aren’t able to clear your own driveway or sidewalks or don’t have your own snow blower or plow,  you may wish to consider hiring a snow removal service to take care of it for you. In this case, you need to contact these services as soon as possible. By waiting until the first snowfall, you may find that most services are too busy to fit you in or the prices may go up due to the large amount of snowfall. Prepare yourself by contacting these services early.

Take Safety Precautions

If you are removing the snow yourself, you also must take special safety precautions. Sadly, many people often suffer a heart attack during this time of year due to the strenuous activity of snow removal. Never try to move too much snow at one time. Shovel at different times throughout the day to prevent the snow from getting too high. Also, be sure you wear boots with traction to prevent falls and wear the proper clothing to prevent frostbite. By keeping these things in mind, you can prevent unnecessary injuries. Snow removal is not something you may want to think about until the snow is actually falling. However, by preparing for it, you can stay one step ahead and keep yourself safe. Furthermore, by securing a snow removal service ahead of time, you can make sure you are at the top of the list for clearing your driveway of snow.

Great Ideas to Help You Through the Holidays

As the holidays approach quickly, many people are put into panic mode. The fact is that holidays can be the most stressful time of the year, especially if you are trying to fit in work, family, and friends to your already hectic lifestyle. However, if you want to get through the holidays without feeling like your home and your world is falling apart, consider the following ideas:

Plan Ahead

Planning ahead for the holidays is hard, but it will be even harder if you have too many things to do. If you have any non-related holiday things to take care of, such as getting the oil changed in your vehicle, get these things done ahead of time. You can also plan to get holiday chores done, such as making out Christmas cards, by taking them with you and doing them when you are waiting for an appointment.

Dishes Build-Up

You may enjoy baking and making special meals during the holidays, but the build-up of dishes can quickly get out of hand if you don’t stay on top of it. Instead of getting overwhelmed with dirty dishes, take control of it by using disposable plates, bowls, and utensils when possible this year. There are a wide variety of holiday-themed disposable dishes that will make your home look festive and you don’t have to worry about cleaning them. Or if you have time while you’re waiting for something to come out of the oven, use that time to take care of the dishes you just used.

Divide and Conquer

While you may feel like that you have to do everything to make the holidays perfect for your family, the holidays are the time to divide and conquer the housework. Even young children can be put in charge of some tasks, such as sorting laundry or dusting. The truth is that your family may complain, but they will appreciate the fact that it allows you to spend more time with them.

Simplify Your Shopping

While most people believe holiday shopping has gotten out of hand, not many choose to do something about it. Whether you limit your gifting to just three or four gifts each or you choose one larger gift for each person, by simplifying your gift giving, you are going to eliminate a lot of your stress over the holidays. Get your family in on your plans so that no one is surprised and everyone knows what to expect. Even if you spend the same amount of money, by limiting the amount of gifts, you are going to save a lot of stress and time over the holiday season.

Layer Your Window Wardrobe For Winter Warmth

When the winter winds begin to blow, you need to consider your home's "window wardrobe" as a way to keep warm air in, cold air out, and heating costs down.

Of course the most efficient thing you can do to winterize your windows is inspect them all thoroughly and invest in high-quality vinyl replacement windows where necessary. This step can dramatically increase the energy efficiency of your home and boost its curb appeal at the same time.

But all windows benefit from seasonally-appropriate dressing and the sooner you get your windows appropriately outfitted for winter, the sooner you'll start enjoying cozy, draft-free comfort. Here are some tips on creating a winter wardrobe for your windows.

Layering

Just as layers play an important role in your own winter clothing choices, layering your window dressings can make a huge difference to how your home feels. Start with the layer closest to the window panes; if you have mini-blinds or roll-up blinds in place, consider lowering or closing them when winter is at its worst. If you aren't currently using blinds or roll-ups this might be a good time to consider them, at least as a seasonal addition. Blinds can be an effective draft blocker, especially on cold winter nights.

Types of Curtains

Now move on to the curtains. The light and breezy sheer panels that are perfect in the spring and summer need to be packed away and replaced with semi-opaque curtain panels that are denser and more closely woven. Lightweight translucent drapes may look great, but they do very little toward protecting your windows or blocking drafts. Though they may not "bring the outside in" like summer sheers do, they still allow light to penetrate and they'll provide a layer of defense against drafts.

Look for heavier drapes that are closely woven, opaque, and preferably lined. Special thermal drapes are a great choice for winter windows, but "light blocker" draperies that feature vinyl or rubberized linings can also work well. The man made lining layer acts as a moisture barrier that keeps the indoors feeling drier and more comfortable.

It's also important to be sure your draperies are long enough to graze the floor and wide enough to close completely to completely seal out drafts. Drawing the drapes does block the room's natural light, so you might want to reserve this action for evenings, but you'll appreciate the warm results.

Want to Prevent Heat Loss? Don’t Forget These Steps!

The weather’s getting colder and one of the biggest things homeowners are worried about this time of year is making sure their home isn’t losing heat. Not only does heat loss make your home less comfortable, it’s a waste of money because you’re paying to heat your house, not the neighborhood around your house.

Before you head to the store for cumbersome plastic coverings or heavy, bulky drapes, consider making these smart changes to warm up your home and ensure that you’re cozy even on the coldest day of the year There are lots of ways you can prevent heat loss in your home, but here are a few of the ways people commonly overlook. However, these methods may prove to be more effective at keeping your home warm.

Worn Down Weatherstripping

You may have put weatherstripping on your windows and doors at some point on the past, but if you can’t remember exactly when that was, it may be time for it to be replaced. These simple foam strips wear down over time so it’s smart to replace them regularly. If the old weatherstripping appears to be crushed, then it should be removed and disposed of. It only takes a few minutes to treat your exterior doors and windows. The new weatherstripping will have self-adhesive backing so you can easily install new, effective foam that will block drafts and keep your home warmer.

Rarely Used Rooms

Take a close look around your home and you may find that you’re not using every space. Shut down the vents in the guest bedrooms and other areas you hardly ever use and close the door to force more heat into the rooms you do use regularly. If you find yourself needing to use these rooms during the winter, it’s no problem to open the door and vents again and have the room warm up again in no time.

Expanding Foam

It’s no secret that doors and windows are the key areas where heat can escape from, but sometimes the reasons this happens aren’t so obvious. Remove the trim around your windows and you may be surprised to find that the gap around the window frame was never insulated. This is common in older homes, but spray foam insulation is an easy way to solve the problem. All you have to do is spray in the foam slowly, allow it to expand and harden, carve off the excess and reinstall the trim.

Replace Your Windows

Even if the weather is already turning, you can still make the investment in vinyl replacement windows. Most contractors offer this service year-round and you’ll feel the difference in your home immediately. You can have just one window replaced or have the entire house treated to see the greatest reduction in your utility bills.

Tinting

It may come as a surprise to you, but window tinting can keep your home a little warmer. The reflective surface not only keeps the heat out in the summer, but it also keeps your home’s heat inside the home when it’s cold outside. This winter, make your home a little warmer and lower your utility bills. Now is a great time to start saving money, and you’ll continue to enjoy the benefits throughout the year.