Are you prepared for the cold Northeastern US Winter this year? We found these top 6 home insulation tips on the nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) website and thought we’d pass them along.
Home Insulation Tips: Frozen pipes top the list.
Home insulation tips instantly bring to mind frozen pipes: Frozen pipes are the second most common cause of home insurance claims in the US, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Pipes that are either inadequately insulated or exposed to outside temperatures can freeze, rupture, and cause costly damage.
The nonprofit Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) recommends the following six inexpensive tips to ensure your home is well insulated. These steps will protect your home, save energy, and save you money too.
Home Insulation Tips: Water Pipes
Prevent Pipes from Freezing
1. Foam: Insulate pipes exposed to the elements or cold drafts. For as little as $1 per 6′ of insulation, you can stop pipes from freezing and save energy.
2. Dome: Placing an insulating dome or other covering on outdoor faucets and spigots also reduce the likelihood of the water in your pipes freezing, expanding and causing a costly leak.
3. Drip: Drip your faucets, to reduce the build-up of pressure in the pipes. Even if the pipes freeze, you have released the pressure from the water system reducing the likelihood of a rupture. If you are going out of town, and suspect that temperatures will drop, turn off water to your home and open all of the taps to drain the water system. This way you won’t return to a frozen, soggy mess.
Home Insulation Tips: Windows and Doors
Insulate Your Windows and Doors
4. Check for air leaks around windows and doors using a lit incense stick. If the smoke is sucked out of an opening, seal the leak with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping.
5. The easiest place to insulate that will generate the biggest results is your attic. The US Environmental Protection Agency suggests at least 12 – 15 inches of insulation on the floor of your attic (more if you are in a colder climate).
6. If you don’t have energy efficient windows, consider using a shrink film window insulation kit from a local hardware store.
Credits: Nonprofit offers affordable home insulation tips for winter weather
If you’re totally successful in insulating your home against the cold, you might gain a few furry refugees. Mice and rats love to make nests in warm cozy home insulation.
The experts at ApolloX Pest Control are here to ensure that you and your family are not joined by smaller uninvited guests in your well insulated home this Winter!
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