Keep warm and dry this fall and winter

“Nailing it Down”

By Eric Bjella

As with all good things, we must eventually say goodbye to summer. Hopefully, the warmer weather will hang on for a few more weeks to give us a little time to prepare for the cold and wet of fall and winter.

House projects can take time, so we thought now was the best time for tips to keep you comfortable in your home this winter while keeping the heating bills as low as possible.

Weatherization goes a long way

One of the biggest ways to stay warm during the winter months it to make sure your house is properly “weatherized.” Many of the basic jobs can easily be done by the homeowner.

Weatherizing, generally, means to properly weather strip, insulate and air seal for the purpose of keeping the warm air in and the cold air out of your house.  Making some minor changes to your home may make it more energy efficient and comfortable with the least amount of influence from the outside temperature.  

Insulation

Insulation comes in various forms – batt, rigid, and blow-in. It is the material that’s used to weatherize the attic, walls and floor.

Insulation is measured by R-value, which refers to its Resistance to heat transfer and is usually done in increments of “per inch” of material. For example, a standard R-19 fiberglass batt will be 5½- inches thick, the proper depth for a 2-inch by 6-inch wall cavity.

Up to a point, increasing the R-value of your insulation can help keep your home warmer in the wintertime and cooler in the summer. If you can access your attic area, look to see if there is adequate insulation already installed.  Another layer added over the top of the old insulation may reduce that heat transfer from inside the house to outside through the attic.

Be sure that the insulation is pulled back from the eave vents and that the attic still has proper airflow to reduce moisture buildup. Adding additional insulation may require the help of a contractor as there is a right way to do this using proper materials to ensure insulation effectiveness while keeping proper airflow.

Adding insulation to walls is more difficult and will likely require a contractor to blow in insulation or inject foam between the wall studs. 

Don’t forget the insulation under the floor! Underfloor insulation can often fall out from between the floor joists or be pulled out by marauding animals. In the best of foundation situations, crawling under the house can be difficult and dirty work. Many homeowners choose to have a contractor check the insulation under the house, pull out old insulation and install new as needed. Once this is done and the perimeter of the foundation is sealed off from animals (while remaining vented for air flow!), it should last for years.

If your insulation is up to snuff, but you’re feeling colder than you think you should, it could simply be drafts from windows and doors.  Filling any gaps and holes with caulking or foam and putting new weather-stripping around your doors is your first step in solving this problem.

Replacing inefficient, drafty single-pane windows is always an option but carries a larger expense.  Window replacement will likely make a big difference to your comfort, so it is worth considering even if you have to stretch the project out over several years to fit your budget.

Results

A well weatherized home may not only lower your heating costs by up to 30 percent, it also may:

• Keep your home cooler in the summer

• Improve your home’s value

• Increase your comfort

As a reminder, the nice people at Grays Harbor PUD also have great tips and information sheets to help you decide what to do to get warm using less energy.

Keep your pipes warm

It’s not all about you!  When thinking about keeping yourself warm in your home, also consider your poor exposed pipes. Fortunately, we don’t live in a climate where frozen pipes are a common issue. That could be both good and bad news, because unlike places with frequent cold weather, most of us aren’t as prepared as we should be for the possibility of extended cold spells. This leaves the pipes – and us -- vulnerable! While you or your contractor is under the house checking on the insulation, be sure to check to see that the pipes are wrapped properly to avoid an expensive, messy and inconvenient water outage in the winter.

Quick and Easy Tips

So, take a look at this list to see if you’re doing all you can to keep yourself, your pipes and your house – warm and cozy.

• Frost-free hose bibs or not, if you haven’t done so yet, unhook your garden hoses and wrap your outside faucets. Even an old T-shirt, towel or newspapers wrapped in plastic and secured with rubber bands will do the trick.

• During extended cold spells, one way to prevent a bursting pipe is leave both hot and cold water dripping, preferably at the sink farthest from the hot water tank. (That way, the whole water system will keep circulating.)

• Close your foundation vents during any extended cold spell. It will make your house more comfortable and save on your heating bill. (Just remember to open them up for needed ventilation when the cold season is over.)

• If you can, close off a room, rooms or even a floor of your house – both to keep the cold out and the heat in the areas that you are living in. (Plus, it helps on the heating bill.)

• Layer your clothing so that not only will the added bulk keep you warm, the trapped layers of air between layers will also insulate you.

• Check for drafts by windows, doors and fireplaces. If you are not using your fireplace, shut the draft! (You may want to leave a note to remind yourself to open it later.) Even a rolled-up towel against the bottom of an outside door can keep the cold from seeping in.

Start Early

It may seem like winter is still a long way off, but you know it is coming!  Start early on these small jobs so your home will have the best chance to fight the cold efficiently and cost effectively. 

Eric Bjella is the executive director of NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor; a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing opportunities for all residents of Grays Harbor County. For questions about home repair, housing counseling, homebuyer education and financing, call 360-533-7828, listen to the extension picks that will best help you and leave a callback name and number.