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Is your home ready for fall weather?

We know that you can’t predict the weather, but the change of seasons is just around the corner. With fall comes cooler temperatures, rain and wind, and extreme weather like hurricanes, tornadoes, and snow and ice storms. Fortunately, you can prepare your home and family for anything the season brings by taking a few simple steps this weekend. Here are our newest fall home weatherization tips:

Fall weatherization of your home’s exterior

Got a drafty room? Over time, houses “settle” and gaps or cracks can appear between windows and doors, where materials and walls meet, or along your foundation where pipes or conduits enter the home. Check these areas of your home to prevent heat loss. If your exterior doors are weather stripped, check that the seal is tight and your strip and threshold are clean.

Moisture is your home’s enemy, especially in the winter when pipes can freeze and crack. Double check your water pipes and be sure to have your lawn sprinkler system flushed and turned off before the first frost.

If your home has rain gutters, now is the time to make sure they are clean and free of debris. You can also install a rain gutter guard in an afternoon, which will help keep leaves and debris out of your gutters.

Fall weatherization of your home’s interior

Check for air leakage around your window and door frames. If you can feel a draft, use transparent weather sealing tape to seal the gaps between the frame and wall.

Cozy fall fireplace

If you’re looking forward to curling up in front of a fire when the weather turns cool, be sure to hire a licensed chimney sweep to inspect and clean your chimney, flue, and fireplace.

Examine your HVAC system. It might be time to clean your filters, or replace them. . If your system is older, hire a certified HVAC professional to check it out and tune it up. Your professional technician can also help you identify inefficient or worn out parts of your system so you can get peak heating performance throughout the fall and winter.

Take care of your home’s weatherization needs before the fall weather hits, and you’ll keep your home comfortable for your family all season long.

 

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Top 5 Reasons to Improve your Home Energy Efficiency

Whether you buy or rent your home, improving your home’s energy efficiency can make the difference between a place you live and the place you love. Here are our Top 5 reasons to improve your home energy efficiency.

5. A home that consumes less energy creates less pollution. Energy created for residential buildings is largely created by consuming fossil fuels. By-products of this energy creation are greenhouse gases and other pollutants. These can accumulate in the air, ground, and water, and damage the health of the environment.

4. A home that is optimized for energy efficiency has less of an effect on man made climate change. Energy efficient houses consume less energy, and they also make the most effective use of the energy they do consume. This means fewer damaging heat emissions and chemicals enter the environment.

3. Energy efficient homes are more comfortable homes. A programmable thermostat can keep your rooms at the perfect temperature day and night, season to season. Low-e windows keep your rooms comfortable year round, and they can block damaging UV rays. Not only are new appliances more energy efficient, they’re quieter and easier to clean and repair. All of this makes it easier and more comfortable for you to love where you live.

2. Energy efficient homes are less expensive to own and operate. Replacing older appliances with Energy Star rated models will save you money every hour they’re in service – and you may qualify for a rebate, too! Other home improvements, like weatherization and air sealing, keep your expensively heated and cooled air inside where it belongs, saving you money on your heating and cooling bills.

1. Energy efficient homes are healthier homes for you and your family. Air sealing and better insulation keeps your home comfortable, and it can also keep out moisture, mold, and pests that make your family sick. A fully serviced HVAC system can improve the indoor air quality of your home, helping you and your family breathe easier and sleep better.

There are many reasons to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Whether you want to reduce your costs of owning or renting, sell for the highest price, or keep your family comfortable and healthy all year long, home energy efficiency can deliver.