Thinking of insulating part of your home, but you don’t know where to focus your attention or energy? At Alamance Insulation and Gutters, we can help you decide the prime locations to insulate in your home or office building. Whether you’re building a new home or updating your insulation, contact us today for all your insulation needs.
When considering insulating your home, there are many different places that you may consider installing insulation. Properly insulating your home will optimize the energy being used, which will therefore save you money in the long run. Your home should be insulated from the roof all the way down to the foundation. Some commonly insulated spots in homes are unfinished attic spaces, finished attics, exterior walls, floors above cold spaces, band joists, and replacement or storm windows.
From Angi, here’s some more helpful information about winterizing your home. Spoiler alert: look outside the home!
It’s wise, before the snow flies (or as soon as possible if flakes have already flown), to take the time to prep your home and property for winter. We hear often about emergency service calls that could have been avoided if homeowners had taken time to winterize or to hire help to get it done.
Some advice is pretty much perennial. Each year, we remind people to inspect their homes, inside and out. From the roof to the foundation, check that everything looks ready to weather a big freeze or snowstorm. For example, gutters and downspouts should be clear, the chimney should be clean and safe, exterior and interior gaps and cracks should be sealed to keep out pests, cold air and moisture, and you should feel confident that your furnace is safe and efficient.
But have you considered winterizing components and accessories outside your home? Here are some things it pays not to neglect:
Winterize your irrigation system
Sprinkler pipes and other components can freeze and break when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. To prevent damage, shut off the system’s water supply. Wrap the main shutoff valve and any above-ground piping with self-stick foam-insulating tape or foam insulating tubes. These are easily found at home supply stores.
Shut down the controller. Most have an “off” or “rain” mode that stops signals to the valves, but allows the timing system to continue so you don’t have to reset the programming later.
If you live where deep freezes can occur, drain water from the underground pipes through the manual drain valve, automatic drain valve or compressed air blow-out methods. When in doubt about how to do it, consult a reputable irrigation specialist.
Winterize your landscaping
Make sure your plantings are winter-ready. Once temperatures hit the freezing mark and plants die, cut perennials’ stems an inch or two from the ground. Consider mulching with a few inches of hay, straw or pine needles.
Cover newer trees, shrubs and perennials with 2 to 3 inches of shredded bark, chopped leaves or other organic matter. Make sure the ground is frozen before covering. Mulching will help warm ground retain heat, which may encourage top growth that could later be damaged or killed.
Winterize in-ground water gardens or ponds
If leaves are still falling, cover you pond with netting to keep them from accumulating, since decomposing leaves emit gases that can harm fish and plants. Don’t allow a fish pond to freeze over; fish need a basketball-sized hole where they can get oxygen.
Winterize outdoor hoses and lines
Water left in garden hoses or other lines and pipes can freeze, causing damage or even bursting. Turn off water spigots and water shutoff valves to hoses. Remove attachments like sprinklers or spray nozzles, and disconnect hoses from water spigots or air conditioning units.
Un-kink hoses and let them drain completely. Looping a hose in a circle prevents kinking during storage and may push out any remaining water. If you can, store hoses indoors or near the house, in a large bucket or on a hose hanger.