How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient This Winter
Did you know that your windows are responsible for more than 25% of your home’s heat loss each year? While that may not seem like a huge deal, it can have serious ramifications for your home’s energy bills. The more heat that escapes through your windows, the higher your heating costs will be. That’s why finding ways to make your windows as efficient as possible is essential. Here are a few simple ways you can boost your windows’ efficiency.
Install Curtains
Even when your windows are in good condition, cold can seep in through the glass. This can make the air around your windows colder and may end up making your living space less comfortable. Installing curtains can help keep the heat loss to a minimum. The warm air inside your home will be trapped by the curtain and the cold radiating out from your windows won’t spread into the rest of the room.
You don’t have to look for the thickest curtains on the market, either. Even sheer or thin curtains can make a huge difference when the temperatures drop.
Get Drafts Repaired ASAP
As your windows age, they can shift in their frames. When this happens, it creates small gaps between the frame and the glass or the frame and your house. Cold air and wind can easily slip through those gaps and into your home, sending an ice-cold breeze into rooms that you’d rather keep toasty warm.
If you notice unexpected breezes coming from your windows, get the drafts repaired as soon as possible. This will dramatically cut down on heat loss during the winter and will help you keep your home cooler in the summer months.
Install Weather Stripping
Your doors can let cold air in just as easily as drafty windows. You’ll be able to seal off any drafts around your doors by installing weather stripping. This foam adhesive strip fills in any gaps between the door and the doorframe, sealing out cold air. Even better, it can be used on all types of exterior doors from solid wood planks to sliding glass doors.
If you’re installing weather stripping, take your time and identify the spots where cold air is seeping in. Then, look at the door and check for visible daylight around the frame. These are the spots where the weather stripping will do the most good. Install the stripping at those key spots and you’ll be able to keep your home warmer more easily.
Consider Upgrading Your Windows
Keep in mind that all of these methods are temporary fixes to a major problem. If you’re looking for a long-term solution that will help you improve energy efficiency year-round, replacing your old windows with high-quality dual or triple-paned windows will be a better choice. These systems help keep the temperatures outside from influencing the temperatures indoors, allowing your HVAC system to run less often. If you’re ready to improve your home’s energy efficiency and stay warmer this winter, contact Reflection Windows and Doors to schedule an estimate.
Go Back Install Curtains
Even when your windows are in good condition, cold can seep in through the glass. This can make the air around your windows colder and may end up making your living space less comfortable. Installing curtains can help keep the heat loss to a minimum. The warm air inside your home will be trapped by the curtain and the cold radiating out from your windows won’t spread into the rest of the room.
You don’t have to look for the thickest curtains on the market, either. Even sheer or thin curtains can make a huge difference when the temperatures drop.
Get Drafts Repaired ASAP
As your windows age, they can shift in their frames. When this happens, it creates small gaps between the frame and the glass or the frame and your house. Cold air and wind can easily slip through those gaps and into your home, sending an ice-cold breeze into rooms that you’d rather keep toasty warm.
If you notice unexpected breezes coming from your windows, get the drafts repaired as soon as possible. This will dramatically cut down on heat loss during the winter and will help you keep your home cooler in the summer months.
Install Weather Stripping
Your doors can let cold air in just as easily as drafty windows. You’ll be able to seal off any drafts around your doors by installing weather stripping. This foam adhesive strip fills in any gaps between the door and the doorframe, sealing out cold air. Even better, it can be used on all types of exterior doors from solid wood planks to sliding glass doors.
If you’re installing weather stripping, take your time and identify the spots where cold air is seeping in. Then, look at the door and check for visible daylight around the frame. These are the spots where the weather stripping will do the most good. Install the stripping at those key spots and you’ll be able to keep your home warmer more easily.
Consider Upgrading Your Windows
Keep in mind that all of these methods are temporary fixes to a major problem. If you’re looking for a long-term solution that will help you improve energy efficiency year-round, replacing your old windows with high-quality dual or triple-paned windows will be a better choice. These systems help keep the temperatures outside from influencing the temperatures indoors, allowing your HVAC system to run less often. If you’re ready to improve your home’s energy efficiency and stay warmer this winter, contact Reflection Windows and Doors to schedule an estimate.