Areas Of Your Home To Insulate Before Winter

Fall is here, and you will probably enjoy some sunlight and outdoor activities. But don’t forget winter is waiting patiently behind and will show up soon. And you already know what that means – cold chilly air, frost, and the heavy weight of snow on your roof. But winter also means an increased need for interior heating solutions. And if your home isn’t properly insulated, two things are bound to happen. Keeping your home warm will require more energy, and your bills will go up (as if energy costs aren’t already up). So, to keep you warm during winter, here are six parts of your home you must insulate before winter rolls in. 

• Air leakage points

Outlets like your doors, windows, switches, and light fixtures allow air to speed through them. Of course, the gaps in such parts of your home are tiny, but they have enough room for heat to escape outside and even for cold air to seep through. And when left unchecked, these gaps can put an extra burden on your interior heating system and use up more energy. That also means you’ll be paying more for your heating. So, take the time to properly seal these leakage points as soon as possible, especially the areas around your doors and windows. Alternatively, you can consider getting a home window replacement, especially if your windows are old and have many air leaks. 

• Your garage

Does your home design come with a garage? Then it needs to be insulated properly before the winter hits. A poorly insulated garage can cause heat to flow freely in and out of your home throughout the year. That means it can cost you a lot of money in energy bills no matter what time of the year it is, but even more during winter. When insulating your garage, it’s best to focus more on the walls that directly connect with your home. Those are the areas where most of the heat loss occurs. And be sure not to leave out your garage door. 

• Your pipes

Yes, you read that right; you need to insulate the pipes in your plumbing system if you experience freezing winter conditions. When the winter season sends temperatures dropping below freezing levels, your home’s plumbing work can easily be in danger. That is especially the case for pipes where water tends to linger. As the water freezes in the pipes, it can expand and even cause the pipe to crack and flood your home. And flooding is the last thing you’ll want to deal with. So, if you’re an experienced plumber, ensure that your pipes are well-insulated to protect them. If you have no plumbing experience, don’t hesitate to contact a trusted and qualified professional to ensure they’re well insulated. 

• Insulate new exterior walls

If you had a recent renovation, your exterior wall needs to be insulated. Your old or existing exterior walls are probably already insulated, but if a recent extension or addition hasn’t received the proper insulation work, you should do so now. Take the time to insulate any wall that faces the exterior to achieve the best results. 

• Your attic and upper roof trusses

Warm air rises over cold air and escapes through spaces closer to your roof. Your attic is one of the main areas responsible for heat loss and increased energy expenses. They can also make it easy for ice dams to form on your roof in winter and even damage your property. So, if your home design comes with an attic, check to see if it is well insulated. Inspect your attic space and look for cracks or signs of damaged existing insulation. Also, look for gaps where blown insulation may have failed to settle properly. And if you notice any issues, call an experienced insulation service to have it fixed immediately. 

• Renovated basements and cold floors

If your home already comes with the right floor insulation solution, there shouldn’t be much to worry about regarding your basement, especially if you don’t use it often. But if you plan to spend more time in your basement during winter, then be sure the flooring also has the proper insulation. You might also want to consider installing moisture barriers to seal the basement floor from moisture buildup. Additionally, if some floors in your home are open to the outside breeze, they should be properly insulated. For example, if you have an uninsulated foundation or recently created an upper-level expansion, you should cater to them.