We must be ever vigilant and keep our homes in top condition so that it can withstand the rigors of winter and keep us warm and dry without consuming more energy than it should. Contact Corporate Electric to make sure all of your electrical wiring is up to date in your home before winter arrives. With modern materials and technology, we should all be living in comfortable conditions. You must put aside a couple of weeks in the summer months to make the improvements, and prepare to spend as much money as you can afford on them.
We are going to take a look at some intelligent ideas today, which could lower your energy bills and keep you warm and healthy. Maybe you won’t need to use all of them if you live in a modern home, but you might find them interesting.
The Exterior
Does your roof have some loose or missing tiles that you promise to replace but keep forgetting? Don’t worry, it is easy to forget those little jobs. You will find specialist in roof repair in Baltimore and Philadelphia online, or in the Yellow Pages. They will sort it out for you quickly.
Check the condition of the paint on the exterior woodwork. If it is flaking, the timber below will start to rot. Even if you cannot undertake a professional repair at this time, apply a couple of coats of gloss to protect it through the forthcoming months.
If there are areas on the walls where the mortar is missing, fill them with new. It is an easy but time-consuming job. If you do a bit every weekend throughout the summer, it won’t feel like such a chore.
Insulate Well
Even if the property has acceptable levels of insulation, you can add more. The loft must be your first area of attack because that is where most of the heat will escape. Aim for a layer at least eight inches thick and add extra if you can afford it.
Replace draughty old wooden window frames with new double glazed uPVC units if you can afford them. They have superior insulation properties and will help to keep the house warm even when you turn the heating thermostat down by a degree or two.
An old property may not feature cavity walls. Contractors can add a product to the exterior and hide it with a coat of render. It is an efficient fix for a tricky problem.
Upgrade Inefficient Appliances
If you have electric storage heaters, disconnect and discard them. They cost a fortune to run and are difficult to control. There is another option, even where you do not have a gas supply to the building. Install a system that runs on heating oil. They are identical to gas systems except for the boiler. When the thermostat clicks in, it heats the water and pumps it to the radiators in each room. The system is easy to control and economical to run. There will be an oil tank in your garden to store the fuel that comes in a tanker. When you have a finite amount, you automatically try to make it last as long as possible, which leads to a change of behaviour. That change inevitably leads to cost savings.
If you address all of these areas, your home will be ready for the winter weather. Some of the projects are expensive to begin with, but the value of your house will increase when they are complete. Besides, you can’t put a price on warmth and security. I hope you take some inspiration from my ideas and improve your home; you will thank me for it later.