How To Winterize Your Home On A Budget
You can tell by the nip in the air that winter won’t hold out for much longer. With Mother Nature promising less than pleasant weather outside, you’re likely preparing for a season spent comfortably indoors. But before you reclaim your standing reservation on the couch in front of the screen, uncurl from your blanket burrito. You have a lot of work between now and your wintertime hibernation.
Winter isn’t just harsh on your hands and tires. Complications due to freezing temperatures and extreme weather conditions can do a number on your home — inside and out. If you expect to emerge from your hibernation to find your house in one piece, you need to take the appropriate preventative measures now before the season hits.
Winter preparedness is more than just stocking your cupboards with hot chocolate and making sure your thermostat coasts at a cozy 78 all season long. It involves sprucing up the place, installing new fixtures, and repairing any damages. That’s a lot of work when all you want to do is curl up around your mug of pumpkin spice latte, but the effort is worth it. When you winterize properly, you can save yourself from a household emergency. Best of all, when you use this simple winterization checklist as a guide, you’ll end up saving money too!
Check in with Your Furnace
The winter is your furnace’s busy season, so you need to make sure it’s had proper training before it takes on its biggest opponent: Old Man Winter. Before a furnace is in tip-top shape, it needs a brand-new filter. Dirty filters clogged with dust and dander reduce airflow and cause your furnace to work harder to push through the obstruction. Since your heating will be on most of the time, you’ll need to change the filter at least once a month.
If last year was a tough one on your furnace, it might need to be replaced. While this is an expensive upgrade, it could end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. Every appliance has a lifespan, and as it approaches its expiry it uses more energy, causing you to pay more for utilities and repairs. New furnaces often come with Energy Star certification that limits its energy consumption.
Investing in a brand-new furnace is a huge financial commitment, especially as we approach the holidays. It’s something that you’ll need to consider carefully. Unfortunately, it’s not always something you can choose. If your furnace stops working, you have no choice but to upgrade — whether you have the money or not.
The government offers some assistance when you upgrade to energy efficient appliances, so check which rebates and tax credits are available. Rebates, unfortunately, don’t always offer as much money as you need. When you need money fast, you can turn to a direct lender for help.
A personal loan works quickly to bridge the gap. You can even receive a loan, like the ones offered at Moneykey.com, within one business day. Though rates and terms differ from lender to lender, a loan floats you the cash you need, so you can make necessary repairs when you need them.
Assess Your Windows
Though they give you an excellent view of the changing seasons, your windows can be a silent energy suck during the winter. Drafts are your number one concern, so check the weather stripping around your windows to ensure there are no cracks or holes. You may be able to get away with re-caulking the damaged areas, but if the stripping is especially warped or worn, you’ll need to install new ones.
Even if your stripping is damage-free, you aren’t done yet. The panes of your windows leach cold air and cause your furnace to work harder to keep your rooms comfortable. If you have single-paned glass in any of your windows, you may want to upgrade to double- or triple-paned windows. We understand this isn’t always in the budget.
Unlike a broken furnace, you can get away without upgrading it before the winter hits. You can install insulating plastic on any thin windows. Inexpensive kits are available at most hardware stores, and they’re easy to install on your own. Once attached, they’ll help create an additional barrier between the cold outdoors and your cozy living room.
Make Door Stoppers
The space under your doors, though slight, can let warm air escape. Door stoppers can help you eliminate these drafts from giving you the cold shoulder. They’re a cloth, snake-like accessory that fits along the space under your door, stopping drafts in their tracks. You can buy these pre-made, but if you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can make your own for a lot less. DIY guides are available online, so you don’t have to guess at sizing.
Keep an Eye on Your Thermostat
If you feel compelled to jack the temperature anytime you get a chill, try to think of the money you’re wasting every time you touch the dial. Next time you feel cold, throw on a sweater and keep your hands away from the buttons. Lowering the temperature from 75 degrees to 68 can save you 15% in energy costs. It’s also a good idea to lower it even further during the night or when you’re out of the home (as long as you don’t have pets).
Turning down the thermostat is the simplest trick on the list, but if you take the time to check off thesetips,you stand to save a lot of money. If you prepare your home properly this year, you can enjoy the worst of the winter season in the comfort of a cozy home without worrying about your budget.
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