Posts Tagged ‘heat’

Insulating a garage… Is it worth it?

Is Insulating a Garage Worth the Cost?

Insulating a garage is a bit pricey and homeowners don’t love to spend the money to insulate a room where you park your car. Although most people don’t spend tons of time in their garage, insulating it has a significant effect. Especially in climates that are very cold such as Colorado winters. When temperatures reach into the negatives during the heart of winter, having an insulated home is important to homeowners. People spend lots of money heating their homes to make it comfortable and warm to live in.

Insulating the garage may not seem like much, but when the door opens and shuts the cold air comes in and makes the interior of the home colder. Often laundry and storage is in the garage, so having a cold garage makes wintertime chores miserable. Adding insulation also makes the rooms above and around the garage a little warmer. Generally the room directly above the garage is the coldest room in the house. So spending the money to insulate the garage can be justified by saving money on heating bills. Especially if the room above the garage is a bed room it may be beneficial to insulate it.

This also can benefit homeowners in the summer, because the AC bill will be lower, and the house will stay at a more comfortable temperature. If you spend a lot of time in your garage fixing cars, bikes, or playing games it may be worth insulating and heating your garage. It is usable recreation space that could be made comfortable with some minor fixes. If the garage is just the car’s home, still consider the positives of insulating and consider what rooms are around the garage that need to be warmed.

What window is the best choice for the climate you live in

Windows: Best Choice for the Climate Based on Region

The US varies in climates and temperatures throughout so you have to pick a window that will stand up to certain weather patterns or heat waves and be the best choice for the climate you are in.

In the Northwest, windows are exposed to a lot of moisture so the materials need to be able to withstand the precipitation. Vinyl, composite, and wood-resin are the most common for this geographical location. Wood windows are generally not a good choice for the area, the moisture causes the wood to warp or penetrate the wood and cause it to deteriorate faster.

The Southwest is a sunny spot in the US, and windows are an important choice depending on the sun exposure. Based on the climate, most types of windows can be used. Sunlight is the biggest factor in that area, so it is important to have solar heat resistance on the panes of glass. Having cheap glass can cause negative effects on heating and cooling bills, for the sun is able to come through and heat up the home.

In the Midwest, a different factor to take into consideration would be wind and twisters. For that general reason, homeowners tend to favor insulated double hung windows and casement windows, for they generally hold up well to strong winds. The highest demand of windows in the northeast are double hung windows. Wood frames are a very common choice in the area for the timeless and traditional look.

In the Southeast, the biggest choice homeowners consider is the heat. Windows can be a great energy saver in locations that are greatly exposed to sunlight. Double pane windows with low-e glass are the most common choice. It reduces the amount of sun exposure so heating and cooling costs are lower. Depending on the area of the Southeast, homeowners need to worry about storms and hurricanes. Homeowners tend to choose aluminum windows based on the strength and durability to withstand tropic storms.

Whatever climate you live in, it is important to choose the correct style and material to highlight your home and endure the weather. Choose correctly and get the best choice for the climate you are in.

How to weatherproof your home for a Colorado winter

Colorado residents know how harsh winters can be and you are always told to plan ahead. That advice should be used for everything from storing canned food and emergency candles to weatherproofing the exterior of your home. Weatherproofing sounds like a daunting task, but there are many things you can do to help prevent damages to your home when a big storm hits. Having your roofing, siding, and windows in good repair before the winter kicks up is always beneficial, but there are some basic things you can do that only take a few minutes to check on.

Make sure to drain any exterior water hose spouts so they don’t freeze.
Blow out your sprinkler pipes.
Make sure your gutters are clear of debris, secure to the roof and in good repair.
Check that interior and exterior pipes are in good repair and are properly insulated.
Cover your air conditioning unit (optional, but prevents leaves and other debris from entering that could cause damage).
Service your heater and furnace.
Make sure your furnace filter is clean.
Check for loose tree branches around gutters, windows and house entrances.
Check the conditions of storm doors and windows as well as shutters.
Insulate your home to prevent cold air from entering.

These are all basic things that can make your winter less stressful, and help your spring to start off right. Taking these precautions before the weather gets cold can prevent busted pipes, tree damage, gutter damage, icy paths, and many other typical cold weather inconveniences and hazards.

Posts Tagged ‘heat’

Insulating a garage… Is it worth it?

Is Insulating a Garage Worth the Cost?

Read More...

What window is the best choice for the climate you live in

Windows: Best Choice for the Climate Based on Region

Read More...

How to weatherproof your home for a Colorado winter

Read More...

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