As the weather turns cold, homeowners should start thinking about protecting their homes and wallets. Here are five things you can do today to save money in the long run.
1. LOSING HEAT? SKY-HIGH HEATING BILL?
As your home gets older, stuff happens – like settling and weather stripping wearing down. Next thing you know, you’re practically heating the great outdoors, and your heating bill is sky-high! So, when it starts getting chilly, do a quick check for air leaks. Just run your hand along your windows and doors. If you feel a breeze sneaking in, that’s your cue – you’ve got a leak to fix!
Sometimes the fix can be a new piece of weather stripping. Other times a new window or door may be in order.
2. ARE YOUR GUTTERS OVERFLOWING?
So, let’s talk about water – your gutters need to stand strong as the first line of defense. So, next time it pours, grab your trusty umbrella and head out. Take a peek at those gutters to make sure they’re doing their job right. Ideally, you want water smoothly flowing out of the downspouts. If you spot any overflow, don’t sweat it– just get it fixed up pronto!
You can keep your gutters clean by installing RainDrop Gutter Guards. Once installed, your gutters will be able to move water away from your home as intended.
3. LEAK IN THE CEILING?
Do you have a stain on the ceiling inside your home? If it’s been there a while, it can be hard to tell if it’s changing over time. Maybe a leak was repaired years ago, but the stain was never addressed. If a new leak starts dripping water in the same spot, you might be unable to tell that the problem is getting worse.
Here’s an easy solution for you. Trace the stain with a pencil. If the stain begins to expand outside of the pencil line, you’ve got a problem that needs to be fixed.
4. IS YOUR SIDING IN DISREPAIR?
Take a moment this fall to walk around the outside of your house and look for any signs of loose, misaligned, cracked or broken siding. These are signs of problems. Damaged siding, left unaddressed, could allow water behind the siding and do immense damage during the freeze/thaw and rainy weather North Carolina is known for.
When it comes time to re-side your home, consider going with LP® SmartSide®. This innovative engineered wood product is designed to withstand impacts, freeze/thaw cycles, high humidity, fungal decay, termites and more.
5. GARDEN HOSE CONNECTED?
Be sure to disconnect your garden hose before the first freeze. Water expands when it freezes. If your hose is connected and full of water, that freeze could damage your spigot and the surrounding siding. Repairing a busted pipe and all the damage it creates adds up quickly.
Take a minute before it gets too cold, disconnect your hose, and put it away for the winter.
CARING FOR YOUR HOME IS WORTH THE EFFORT!
Take a few moments this fall to take care of your home. A few simple steps today can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
When you need Smart Exterior Solutions, I’m always just a call or click away. Call me directly at 919-714-2200 or book an appointment.
