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One of your responsibilities as a homeowner is to keep your home in tip-top shape for years to come. While you can only do so much to maintain it, the biggest threat to it remains to be something that is out of your control: the weather.
Whether it is the winter or the summer season, the exterior climate will always be different with the interior feel and temperature of your home. The age of it will also not be a determinant of its resistance to various weather conditions.
For a comfortable and healthy home life, it’s vital to keep your house cool in the summer and warm and dry in the winter and rainy season. Here are some handy weatherproofing tips so you can stay cozy all year round.
Preparing for the cold months
Being cold during the winter inside of your home is not really one of the best ways to spend it. At the same time, seeing a higher gas or electricity bill will only make matters worse. This is why weatherproofing your home before the winter season sets in is important. Here are some ways you can do so.
Upgrade your boiler
Experts say that your house boiler may be one of your most important investments for your home. While it may be one of the most expensive purchases as well, it will definitely be the one that will save you the most money in the long run. Condensing boilers are the most efficient. If your current boiler is more than 15 years old and you replace it, adding a new set of heating controls, you can expect to save 25 percent on your bills, and reduce your carbon dioxide emissions. Make sure you contact a Gas Safe Registered engineer to discuss whether a combination or regular condensing boiler is most suitable for your home.
Lag your pipes
Make sure all your pipes are lagged to prevent them from freezing. Frozen and burst pipes are a nightmare that nobody wants to deal with over the colder months, Make sure your pipes are properly lagged to prevent them from freezing. Prepare your home by repairing any dripping taps and leave the plugs in sinks in frosty weather, otherwise water can freeze in the pipes.
Insulate your loft
Your home’s insulation is responsible for keeping your home warm and cozy during every snowfall. If it is broken, or malfunctioning, imagine losing over 50 percent of your home’s warmth during the winter. It is also the one to thank for your low your energy bills. Whether you live in a cold region of the country or a warm one (or both!), insulating your attic and basement is one of the best things you can do to keep heating and cooling costs down. Upkeep is minimal: Every spring and fall, do a spot check to make sure there aren’t cracks or gaps allowing outside air in (and inside air out).
Preparing for the warm months
Update your window coverings.
It’s tempting to fling open the curtains as soon as the sun comes out, but if your home is south-facing this could be asking for trouble. During hot days it’s best to keep your curtains closed.
Choose your paint carefully
Exterior paint is the first layer of defense against the elements. Harsh UV rays can cause paint to crack and peel, while extreme temperatures force the surface covering your home to expand and contract. In areas of the country where rain and humidity abound, moisture can seep into paint, causing mold, mildew, and algae to take root. Fortunately, the right paint, formulated for the conditions where you live, can make all the difference.
Preparing for the rainy months
Clean out your gutters
The junk in your gutter may cause you bigger problems during the rainy months compared to the effort exerted of cleaning them out before hand. Different debris such as leaves, twigs, and others, can clog the drains, so the water ends up running down the sides of your home causing damp-related problems. Clean them out and, if possible, add some wire cages to catch future leaves before they really cause trouble.
Check out the roof
Many homeowners neglect their roofs and only start to notice problems when it becomes to big to handle. To make sure your home is weatherproof for the wet season, get up on the roof at the end of summer and check for any loose tiles that could pose a hazard when the wet and windy weather begins. Do it again at the end of winter, to make sure nothing has been blown loose.
Look for gaps in the sealant.
Inspect your home and look out for any cracks that water could potentially escape into. You can use foam sealant to fill in any spaces, but for bigger jobs it’s worth calling in the experts.
In some cases, weatherproofing your home requires more than keeping rain out and the right temperatures in, especially if you encounter problems that need to be repaired along the way. This is when you should contact your professional home contractor to help you solve it and prepare for the coming weather conditions. It is important that you decide to hire only the best in the field to make sure that you also get the best results.
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