Is your Stratford, CT home ready for the winter? Many people do not think about the heating insulation of their home simply because they think their heating only comes from the actual heating system. However, if your Stratford, CT home is not properly insulated, then you could cause your heating system to work harder than it has to. You could be losing hundreds of dollars in energy costs and you may not even realize it. In order to get your home ready for the winter, you need to check the insulation and you need to check it thoroughly. The more efficient your home is, the more comfortable your home will be during the cold months. Here is a checklist of things that you need to do.
Check the Attic and Crawlspaces
The place to begin would be the open spaces above and below your home. These spaces can be the biggest energy leaks and they can be spaces where your precious warm air is getting away into the cold winter. In the attic, there should be plenty of insulation. In fact, there is really never too much insulation. A good option would be blown in insulation since it is easy to install and very energy efficient. In the crawlspace below the house, you should lay plastic on the ground to keep cold air from seeping up. Insulation can be laid as well. If you have a basement, then consider insulating the walls there.
Check the Windows and Doors
Of course, your Stratford home could be well insulated around the windows and doors, but then again it may not. A telltale sign of a problem would be if you feel cold drafts anytime you are near windows or doors. Windows should include weather stripping around the seals and you may even want to consider double pained windows for the best in efficiency. As far as doors, there should be a strip along the bottom casement that keeps drafts coming in below the door and the seal around the door should be tight.
Check the Switch Plates
Many people never think about looking behind the switch plates and outlet plates in their Stratford home, but this is very important. A great deal of energy can be lost if they are not insulated behind them. Taking off the plates is quite easy and you will know immediately if they have insulation. If not, you can easily add it with a can of blown in foam insulation that will expand to fill the space as it dries. If you have one switch plate in your home that is not insulated, this most likely means they all need insulation. This can make a big difference in your energy bill all by itself.
When you are making your Stratford, CT home ready for the winter, you need to make sure the home is as energy efficient as possible so that your heating system can work properly. This will include checking the insulation throughout the home so it is airtight and so that there are no drafts causing your home to leak energy.