5 Easy and Effective Winterization Solutions for Your Home

Although there are a lot of wonderful things that come with the winter season (including lots of snow and holiday cheer), if there’s one place where we prefer to remain warm and toasty at all times, it would have to be the inside of our homes. But sometimes, while trying to achieve that goal, it can be financially challenging. That’s because the more that we rely on our HVAC units, the bigger toll they take on our energy costs.

Luckily, there are several easy things that we all can do in order to effectively winterize our homes. If you’d like to know what some of those things are, check out these five tips below:

Change your window treatments. One of the easiest ways for cold air to come into your house is through your windows. So, if you don’t already have double-pane windows and it’s not really within the budget to buy any this season, that’s OK. There is an affordable way to block the cold, and that’s by getting some thermal curtains. They come in all kinds of styles, and the really good news is that you can find them for cheap at stores like Target or even Walmart.

Check for drafts. There are two ways to figure out if you have a draft inside of your house. One way is to turn out the lights in each room and look along your windowsills and doors. If you see light shining through from the outside, that means you have a draft. Another way to know is by burning a stick of incense and then placing it beside your windows and doors. If you see the stream of smoke going towards the windows or doors, that’s another clear sign of an air leak. The good news is that there are two ways to treat drafts. You can go to your local home improvement store and purchase some caulking to cover up the holes. Or you can do a bit of weatherstripping. One website that can walk you through the weatherstripping process is This Old House. Just go to the site and put “essential guide to weatherstripping” in the search field.

Insulate your pipes. Some people end up spending a significant amount of money each winter paying a plumber to repair their pipes after they freeze or even burst. Something that you can do in order to prevent that from happening to your pipes is to insulate them. You can use either foam or fiberglass. A website that has great tips on how to properly insulate the pipes in your home is DIY Network. Go to the site and put “insulate pipes” in the search field.

Install a low-flow showerhead. When you’re looking for ways to lower your energy bills, it’s not only about paying attention to your electricity – there’s water too! There’s a pretty good chance that during the wintertime, you’re going to want to take longer showers in warm water, so save a few gallons with each wash by installing a low-flow showerhead. It’s a proven way to save as much as 30 percent on annual energy costs.

Add a programmable thermostat. According to many energy experts, by setting your thermostat to around 73 degrees, you can stay pretty warm no matter how cold it may be outside. So why not invest in a programmable thermostat? That way, you can set it for one temperature when you’re home and another when you’re away. It’s another awesome step towards winterizing your home and decreasing your energy costs, too. For information on some of the best programmable thermostats on the market, visit Programmable-Thermostats-Review.TopTenReviews.com.