As winter comes on full force, we are all feeling the biting cold. Yes, we even feel it in Houston! But I have a few quick and easy fixes for that. It’s all in your insulation! In my last blog, I mentioned that heat travels from areas of high heat to areas of low heat. In other words, the heat from your nice, warm living room rises to make a nice, warm attic instead. To fix this, fill any cracks and fissures with caulk or spray insulation and replace any old or damp insulation. Ten to twelve inches of insulation is sufficient, giving your insulation an R-38 rating, but R-50 (approximately 16 inches) is recommended. Your attic stairs are also a place where heat can leak into the attic. Foam tape around the door will help this. Holes cut to allow cables to run in and out also let air in and out; filling these holes with spray foam insulation drastically reduces the air flow. If you have a basement, insulate that as well; just make sure the insulation is water proof. This will keep your home cooler in the summer. I know, it’s winter and freezing outside, the last thing you want to think about is keeping cool, but if you’re already taking on an insulation project, the basement is an easy addition. Lastly, put weather stripping around your doors and windows. This will seal any holes in the frames to keep warm air from escaping. Adding curtains to your windows also adds one more layer of insulation. These are all fixes you can do yourself that will make your home more comfortable as well as decrease your heating bill. It’s not a drastic decrease, adding to your attic insulation will result in approximately a 20% decrease, but it is still a little more money in your pocket.
')}