Winter weather can damage your house. That’s why it is important to “weatherize” or “winter proof” your house. Weatherization (also known as home performance) is the process of making your house more comfortable and energy efficient.
The best place to start is with a professional assessment, known as a home energy audit. Other things to consider are installing door sweeps, changing your air filters and flushing your water heater.
Window Replacement
If your windows are cracked or broken, you should consider replacing them. Cracks and holes around your windows allow cold air into your home, which makes your heating system work harder to maintain a warm temperature.
A simple and effective way to seal gaps and cracks in your windows is with caulking or expanding foam. Caulk is a great option for non-movable parts of your window, while foam works best on the doors and movable parts of the window sash (but not where they meet).
Window weatherization prevents unwanted chills from entering your home in winter, and it reduces energy bills during summer when the sun’s rays amplify humidity levels in the house. It also helps keep moisture levels in check to avoid the development of mold and mildew.
Many states offer free energy audits and home weatherization services for income-eligible homeowners and renters. This assistance can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 20%. Contact RESNET or the Building Performance Institute to find a professional energy assessor in your area.
Door Replacement
A home’s doors and windows can lose a lot of energy during the winter. Weatherization upgrades for these areas of a house can reduce this energy waste. This may be especially important for older homes.
Caulking is one of the most common methods of window and door weatherization. This process fills in cracks and crevices to stop air leaks. It works best for sealing gaps less than 1/4 inch wide on non-moveable parts of a window, such as the frame or where the trim meets the wall. It’s also a good idea to install draft guards. These are inexpensive and attach to the bottom of a door to prevent heat loss. A rolled up towel or blanket can be a cheap substitute for a draft guard.
Adding insulation and upgrading ventilation are also ways to improve a home’s energy efficiency and comfort. An experienced home performance contractor can help develop a strategy that maximizes a house’s comfort while reducing its energy use.
Another way to make a home more energy efficient is to change ceiling fans so they rotate the right direction for the winter. This helps warm air that rises to the ceiling return to the occupied space, which can cut heating costs by as much as 10%. It also helps minimize the condensation that collects on window glass in cold weather.
Crawlspace Repair
Getting your crawl space repaired as part of weatherization is essential for many reasons. Unfinished crawl spaces can be home to mold, mildew and rodents that can damage your foundation, and lead to health problems in living areas of your home such as odors, rashes and respiratory issues. Moisture in the crawl space can also result in wood rot and rusting of metal components that could compromise the structural integrity of your home.
The main source of moisture in a crawl space is groundwater. Water vapor evaporates from dirt in the crawl space and moves upward through the stack effect, infiltrating the rest of your home. This humidity soaks into floor joists, fiberglass insulation and air ducts. High humidity in a crawl space can lead to rot, mold and wood rot fungus that will eventually affect the structure of your home and negatively impact your indoor air quality.
To control moisture in your crawl space, a crawlspace repair contractor can install a vapor barrier that restricts airflow and prevents the evaporation of groundwater. They can also insulate your crawl space with a foam board product such as SilverGlo, which is an expanded polystyrene insulation that is coated with graphite to increase its R-value up to 24% over standard EPS. The vapor barrier and insulation will keep moisture out of the crawl space and reduce your energy bills.
Insulation
One of the best ways to weatherize your home is to insulate. In fact, insulation can save you a lot of money when it comes to heating and cooling bills, especially when it’s properly installed. Air conditioning and heating are by far the largest consumers of electricity in most homes, so a well-sealed cocoon prevents heated or cooled air from escaping to the outside. This can cut down on your energy costs and help to keep the people inside healthy, as too cold or too warm homes can increase the risk of illnesses.
A good place to start is by adding caulking and weather stripping around your doors and windows. This can seal gaps between 1/16 of an inch and 1/4 of an inch to stop cold drafts. Adding insulation to your crawlspace, basement or attic is another way to improve the air-tightness of your home. You may also want to insulate your water pipes or install a programmable thermostat. ENERGY STAR estimates that you can save up to 10% on your heating and cooling costs with a programmable thermostat.
While it’s important to do these home weatherization tasks before the brisk fall and cold winter temperatures arrive, you can make many of these improvements during warmer months as well. This is because the benefits of improved air-tightness and increased insulation last all year round.