Winter is a magical season, full of holidays that bring families together, delicious seasonal options at grocery stores and restaurants, and decorated neighborhoods. Unfortunately, winter also brings some added costs to your budget, but when you prepare your home in the following four ways, you can save money and enjoy the festivities winter brings.
Check the Condition of Your Roof and Gutter
You can easily overlook your home’s roof. Leaves and debris can gather there, and shingles and minor damages can go unrepaired. If you have put off repairs on your roof, you’ll want to act quickly and make those repairs before winter arrives. Missing shingles can seem like no big deal, but with snow and ice collecting on your roof and constantly melting and freezing, water damage is highly likely to occur. Frozen debris on your roof can cause the same inconveniences, and leaks can make their way into your home.
The same goes for your gutters. If clutter is in your gutters, water is likely to back up. When that water freezes, it can cause damage. Take some time this weekend to clean your gutters and make some roof repairs. Alternatively, hire a professional to get the job done.
Prepare Your Yard and Garden for Freezing Weather
Depending on where you live, freezing temperatures could be detrimental to many parts of your home. If freezing weather affects your region, be sure to turn off all outdoor pipes and store garden hoses for the season. Water expands when it freezes, which can cause pipes to burst, leading to an expensive repair.
If you have many outdoor plants in your garden or yard, you can take some steps to prepare them for freezing weather. Bring any potted plants you can indoors. If you have plants that you are unable to bring indoors, add a layer of mulch over the soil and blanket them to help keep heat in.
Seal Your Home
Before winter arrives, consider having a professional perform a home energy audit. This type of test can help find problem areas in your home. Identifying and addressing these problems can help you save money and keep the heat inside your home.
You can take other steps that won’t require professional help. Sealing obvious leaks from doors and windows by using caulk is one home-improvement measure you can make on your own. Additionally, exploring options for bathroom radiators online can help you enhance your home’s warmth and efficiency.
Add Comfort With Insulation
Keeping heat inside your home during the winter is key to maximizing comfort and saving money. If your basement or attic is not properly insulated, heat will escape and you’ll pay more to stay comfortable in your home. When warm air escapes from your home, your appliances must use more energy to support their set temperatures. You can hire a professional to install insulation, or you can use recycled materials to create and install your own.
Winter preparations can make your home cozier for large family gatherings and intimate nights at home. You’ll also experience savings by retaining heat inside your home. Whether you need some more insulation, protection for your beloved plants, or roof repairs, carry out the tips above to experience peace of mind this winter.
Thank you for the tips. There is a lot to prepare for winter.
Oh these are all such great tips with winter coming soon. I really need to do the energy audit. I have a door and a couple windows that I get such drafts in. I have one container blueberry bush that I lost last year and replaced it this year. I am going to try the mulch and see if that will help it make it this winter.
These are great tips. Thank you for the reminder!