When you live in a place with varying weather, you don’t have the luxury of neglecting your home’s ability to protect against it. Leaky roofs and windows can quickly add up when it comes to repairs and heating and cooling costs if you’re not careful. Thankfully, there’s a lot of easy tips for weatherproofing your home that you can do yourself to save some time and money.
Seal Pipes and Ducts
One of the simplest ways to weatherproof your house is to make sure all your ducts and pipes are insulated and sealed. This way, you won’t have to waste your heating and cooling bill on places you never go and don’t need to control. Doing this step on your own is very cheap, and it will save you more money in the long run.
Fix Cracks around Doors and Windows
Feeling around your doors and windows for small openings is an easy to way to find out if they’re not as weatherproof as you think. Holding a candle up to the edges and seeing if the flame moves is one way to check if this is a problem. If you find that your doors and windows aren’t sealed all the way, a little bit of caulking goes a long way to keeping your costs down.
Keep an Eye on Your Roof
Your house’s first defense against rain, hail, and other bad weather is your roof, and you shouldn’t forget about it. Checking periodically for cracks or broken shingles can give you peace of mind that you won’t be getting any ceiling leaks in the future. If you’re in your home for the long haul, consider upgrading to something like a metal roof so that this is less of a concern.
Trust in Technology
Another way to ensure your home is ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at it is to get a smart thermostat. Replacing your old thermostat with a smart one is a project you can easily do yourself, and it comes with a lot of benefits. A new, programmable thermostat that automatically regulates the interior temperature of your house can save you loads of money on your energy bill.
Applying these tips for weatherproofing your home will make sure that you and yours are safe and comfortable in your home for a long time. Don’t get caught in the rain—you can do a lot of these projects yourself, and they don’t cost a ton of money, either.
