Weatherproofing Your Home

When people think about weatherproofing their home it’s usually in the fall before the weather breaks and temperatures drop. While this is necessary to help trap expensive heat inside your home throughout the winter, it’s important that your home be weatherproofed for summer too! Whether it’s winter or summer, it’s unlikely that you’ll want the temperature outside your home to match that of the inside – unless you’ve taken the precautions to weatherproof your home, external conditions will most likely have an effect internally. Taking the time to maintain your ventilation systems and other areas where you might find air leaks will help you trap the cool air in, keep hot air out, and save you money on cooling costs in the long run. After all, no one wants to be hot AND broke!

Weatherproofing your home does not require a big budget or a lot of time. We’ve compiled a few of our favorite ways you can take on this DIY project and get on the path to stable internal temperatures and a more affordable energy bill.

Honeycomb Cellular Shades

Installing cellular, or “honeycomb,” shades is a phenomenal way to keep extreme temperatures from penetrating through windows into your home. This type of shade will work for you year-round, keeping you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. As hot or cold air radiates from window panes & frames, it gets trapped in the cells of the shade. You’ll want to make sure not to install these too close to the window, however, as you might see ice buildup on window panes during winter months!

Door Draft-Stoppers

Adding draft-stoppers to entry doors will prevent outside air from seeping in underneath. You can pick up a draft stopper at almost any local hardware store at a low cost. If you’d like to be more resourceful, make one yourself!

Air Leaks Around Doors & Windows

Repairing areas that allow air to leak through is one of the greatest improvements you can make in weatherproofing your home. A simple trick to finding these problem areas is to run a lit candle around window & door frames. If you pass by an area where unwanted air is coming in, you’ll see the flame flicker. Now that you’ve sought out the areas causing issues, you’ll want to seal the leak with caulk or weather stripping.

Basement & Attic Insulation

While this is far from the cheapest method to weatherproofing your home, it will give you the best return on your investment. Uninsulated attics and basements will let warm air escape your home during colder months and let it back in during warmer months.

Ventilation

A ventilation system that isn’t working properly will not allow your home to shed the hot air it doesn’t need. Vents leading out of your attic should be clear of debris both inside and out. When checking these vents, you may want to take a look at the vents attached to your HVAC system as well. Blockages can trap heat in and prevent your cooling system from running effectively.

Programable Thermostat

Exterior temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day, and you won’t always be around to adjust the dial on your thermostat accordingly. Having your HVAC system set to maintain a stable temperature on its own will prevent you from over heating or cooling a house nobody is in! A standard programmable thermostat can be picked up for about $30, but there are many options with special features if you’re willing to spend a little more.

Taking these measures to properly weatherproof your home will almost always help reduce the cost of heating and cooling. If you’ve gone through each of these without seeing a change on your energy bill, there might be a larger problem at hand. A home with outdated windows or doors isn’t optimized to effectively regulate internal temperatures. You may need to consider replacement energy efficient windows & doors or have your roof inspected for issues.