There are several home maintenance tasks to complete before the winter months arrive. Getting your chimney swept, replacing batteries in smoke detectors, and covering patio furniture are a few to name, but there’s one you might be missing that keeps you warm and cozy, plus with moderate energy bills. That’s right; we’re talking about insulation.
If it’s been a while since you searched your home for drafts or you’re noticing higher energy bills than usual, this could mean you’ve got a few holes or gaps somewhere. Without replacing them before the cold weather arrives, you could be left with a cold home, outrages energy expenses, and an HVAC system that breaks down from working overtime to regulate indoor temperatures.
To know how to properly inspect a home for damage in the insulation and make necessary repairs, we spoke to three heating and cooling experts for their advice. Here’s all they had to say on the one winter home maintenance tasks they don’t want you forget.
The Importance Of Checking Your Insulation
Upon first glance, you might think you home’s insulation is fine. After all, there are no major holes or cracks visible, so there’s nothing to worry about, right? Wrong! In fact, according to our experts, failing to take some time to walk around you and thoroughly inspect crevices for gaps or cracks in your home can cause major problems for you comfort-wise and wallet-wise this winter season.
“Insulation plays a major part in making sure your home is more comfortable, energy-efficient and eco-friendly, so it’s important to check while prepping your home for the winter,” says Veggeberg. “If your home isn’t well insulated and there are gaps and cracks around the home, your interior’s temperature won’t be consistent and it will cause your energy bills to rise.”
That’s because the air that’s seeping out through the cracks isn’t allowing the inside temperature to reach what you set on the thermostat. So, as a result, your system has to work even harder to make up for the heat that’s been lost.
Sadly, according to Naughton, 30% of energy is wasted from gaps and cracks around the home. So not only is it crucial to inspect insulation to ensure your home isn’t drafty or overly cold this winter, but so your energy bills don’t skyrocket from wasted energy.
Signs That Indicate Insulation Needs To Be Fixed
Faulty insulation is usually pretty easy to spot. As you walk around your home, look in the crevices around your door frames and windowsills for holes, gaps, or cracks, before going to other rooms like the attic to look for the same signs. But, other than visuals, our experts say there other obvious clues that indicate your insulation needs to be fixed.
“The biggest clue that you need to do some home improvements is an unexpectedly high energy bill,” Naughton says. “Other signs that indicate you have insulation issues are random cold spots or drafty areas around your home. Drafts often indicate there are gaps or cracks around your windows or doors. A cold spot typically indicates that heat is escaping that particular space.”
While Gault says you can use tools like an infrared thermometer and smoke pen to more accurately detect temperatures and drafts, he says you can also use something else that’s unthought of. “Toilet paper can also be a great tool to check home for drafts. Holding the toilet paper near areas such as electrical outlets, around window and door frames, and along exterior walls, can help find air leaks, as paper flutters when exposed to a draft,” he says.
How To Fix Insulation On Your Own
Once you find open holes or drafts in your home, it’s understanding to want to fix it immediately before the cold temperatures arrive. The good news is that fixing insulation in the form of gaps, cracks, or holes is something you can tackle yourself with the help of a few supplies you can get from your nearest hardware store. “Most gaps and cracks are fairly minor and can be fixed with weatherstripping, caulk, or expanding foam. They also make thermal insulating tape that can be applied around windows, doors, ceilings, and baseboards, if needed,” says Naughton.
For drafts at the bottom of your doors, Gault says doorsnakes are your best best for a quick fix. “But, if you’re trying to fill in gaps between floorboards to prevent heat loss, use latex gap sealant. Or, just place carpets to create a barrier between cold floors and the room and prevent heat from escaping through those tiny gaps.”
The Perfect Time To Check Your Insulation
Obviously, you’ll want to inspect insulation in your home before the winter months arrive so you can stay comfortable and beat the winter chill. Naughton says completing this task in October or November is the perfect time to catch any minor holes or schedule contractor work if the damage is extensive. “If you wait until freezing temperatures set in, you’ll be stuck with expensive energy bills while you try to squeeze into your preferred contractor’s hectic schedule.”
