How To Winterize Your Home Effectively

If you’ve been researching how to winterize your home, you’ve probably read numerous articles about the subject.

Many contain excellent tips for winter proofing your abode, but if you’re like most homeowners, you wonder which ones work.

Since other homeowners are the best source of this information, we asked three.

They provided their best tips for both making your home more energy efficient and protecting your valuable investment. What follows is what they told us and a few additional winterizing tools.

“Drain exterior water lines and remove hoses.”

—Erin G., Boston, MA.

Erin remembers the year her father forgot to do this. “We had an early frost that year, and my dad hadn't done it yet. The line froze, ruptured, and leaked water all over in our finished basement.”

This tip isn’t just about saving energy; applying it could help you avoid costly damage to your house.

With days getting shorter and temperatures dropping, this is one tactic you want to use now.

"Get heat-sealing honeycomb blinds."

—Chris C., Hancock, ME.

Also called cellular shades, these aren’t cheap, but Chris says they’re one of her best investments. “They can make an enormous difference,” she says.

These can raise the or the resistance of the shade to transferring heat. A typical double-glazed window has an R-3.5 value.

"R" means "resistance," and it's a measurement of how much a product resists heat flow.

A good cellular shade can double the window's resistance to R-7 or more.

They also come cordless if you have children in the home, block light, and increase privacy.

It’s best to get these from a reputable dealer and have them professionally installed. Once you do, you’ll feel the cold air go away.

"Replace Your Old Windows."

—Betsey R., Lansing, MI.

“New windows have made the biggest difference for me,” Betsey says. “I used plastic sheets to cover my windows my first winter, and froze,” she continues. Her old windows were original to the 1980s house.

“The new windows are like day and night, and they are rapidly paying for themselves,” Betsey explains.

Government studies show that heating (and cooling) savings can be 12-33% annually with new windows. Installing ENERGY STAR windows also can mean rebates of up to $200.

A few caveats, though. Which windows you buy depend on your home’s age and type. Also, consider the windows you’re replacing and those your installing when deciding which to buy.

There may be other aspects of window replacement you need to know, too. So before making this a DIY project, get professional help to choose the right windows.

"Put your storm windows on your house."

—Erin G. and Chris C.

“It drives me crazy when people have storm windows, and they don't bother using them,” says Erin. But, she recommends using a heat gun to find air leaks and making sure they’re sealed properly.

It’s also important to install and close the windows tightly.

While pulling out, cleaning, and sealing your storm windows isn’t fun, the time you spend will save you money. You’ll probably enjoy both fuller pockets and a warmer home once you do

Seal these cracks and holes to seal in your heat."

—Betsey R. and Chris C. “In cold climates like Michigan, your heating costs can be really high if your house isn’t sealed properly,” Betsey says. That means don’t just seal around window panes but also seal window frames.

Don’t neglect to seal doors, fireplaces and around electrical outlets. From attics to basements (and attached garages) anyplace heat can get out, seal the spot with caulk or silicone.

“You also should seal any gaps in your foundation if you live in an old house with a stone foundation,” Chris adds.

Not only could you save between 5%-30% on energy costs each year by sealing in heat, your home usually will be more comfortable.

Start with an Energy Audit Before Winterizing Your Home

Do this to avoid missing important winterizing opportunities and losing money to higher energy costs. This process also can help you find other issues.

An energy audit is something you can do on your own, at least initially. Done correctly, you’ll check every aspect of your home for potential energy loss.

Use a checklist for this process so that you won’t miss anything important. Then, if you want a more thorough assessment of your home’s energy efficiency, consider hiring a professional.

By taking these homeowners’ advice and evaluating your home’s unique winterizing needs, you’ll be ready for almost anything winter brings.

Financing Energy-Efficiency

You can add energy-efficient financing to many purchase or refinance home loans.

Energy-efficient mortgages, or EEMs, are options that can be added to VA, FHA, USDA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac refinance home loans.

Energy improvements can involve a wide variety of projects – for example, adding insulation, upgrading to energy-efficient windows, and installing water saving devices. Solar panels and cutting-edge energy-saving devices may also be eligible

Rules differ by program, but ine feature of all of them is the ability to use the improved property value in the loan-to-value calculation.

What Are Today's Rates For Energy Efficient Mortgages?

Today's mortgage rates are low, boosting the savings of energy efficient home improvements by reducing their financing costs.

Show Me Today's Rates (Nov 1st, 2016)