Pre-Winter Preparations: Tips on Winterizing the Exterior of your home

A higher energy bill is to be expected in winter due to higher heating demands. Fortunately, there are different ways to minimize this expected spike, one of which is winterizing your home’s exterior. To help you do just that, the home remodelers at Home Wizards have winterization tips to share.

Siding and Trim 

If you’re going to winterize your homes’ exterior, it’s a good idea to start with the largest part of your property: the Siding. Having your siding caulked properly can help to prevent warm air that can leak out of gaps in the insulation or damaged siding.  Any siding boards that are damaged should be replaced with a fiber cement material. Fiber Cement Siding will not rot, is fire resistant, and is more insulated than wood siding.  Adding insulation under your siding is another way to insure a warmer home.  Low-E House Wrap is a product that can be installed directly under the siding to give your home better insulation.

Decks and Porches 

The frigid weather can be especially harsh on your deck or porch, especially if it’s made of wood. Have one of your local home remodelers check for any rotted boards that need replacing.

Gutters 

Your gutter system is an integral part of your roof. As a rule of thumb, you should have your gutters checked before mid-fall and the start of winter. If your gutters are clogged, they are at risk of forming ice dams because water that should’ve drained can end up freezing.

Don’t have the time for tedious but necessary maintenance tasks like cleaning gutters? A gutter cover system can help reduce your upkeep requirements, preventing leaves and all kinds of debris from entering and clogging your gutter system.

Windows 

Don’t forget about your windows. They might not be the largest part of your exterior, but they can account for 25% to 30% of heat loss in an average American home. Have one of your local home remodelers check to see if your windows have any leaks. If your windows have been around for quite a while, you should consider replacing them with more energy-efficient models. Take note: Window replacement can be done in the winter!

Winter is a harsh season but you’ll be able to effectively winterize your home as long as you work with a qualified contractor. Here’s a vetting tip: the awards a contractor has won, not to mention the number of years they’ve been in the industry, are a good measure of their expertise. If the experts can trust them, then so can you.

Home Wizards, a multi-award-winning contractor with more than a decade’s worth of experience, offers a wide range of professional exterior services. To request a consultation, call us at (770) 998-1809 or leave us a message here.