Making your home winter ready

Posted: 27 September 2010 by Metricon Homes

Tags: heating, insulation

While ensuring that your heating system is up and running properly is the most important factor to consider for your winter-ready home, there are still quite a few other tasks you must take into consideration, ranging from the insulation of your home to all the exterior work you will need to accomplish before the first winter storm blows in.

Metricon’s NSW Sales and Marketing Manager – Regina - one of the best ways to keep your home warm while keeping your bills down is ensuring that it is insulated and sealed as effectively as possible.

“A well-insulated and ventilated ceiling will save you both on your heating bill and prevent ice dams. Consider adding a second layer of insulation to your ceiling over the cooler months.

Major amounts of heat can also be lost through cracks in the walls of your home, reducing the efficiency of your heating system and bumping up bills. Sealing your home up tight on both the interior and exterior is important to reduce the risk of drafts, leaks, dry rot, and mold.

Look for cracks in your home around window frames, doors, pipes, and electrical outlets. You should seal up the open drafty cracks where air and wind can seep through as best as you can. On the interior, apply caulk around your window and door glass and trim. Other areas where cracks should be treated are around where the chimney and fireplace penetrate, as well as the gaps around the dryer, bath, and kitchen vents.

In regards to the exterior of your home, check the siding on your house's exterior, looking for cracks and gaps. Caulk and patch the cracks to prevent leaks and the damage that could result from the rain during the winter months. Install or replace the weather stripping on all your windows and doors and any other areas where there are gaps. If you do all of this, you should have a warm and happy household this winter,” concluded Regina.