Winter has officially begun. Snow has started to fall and the temperatures have hovered around the freezing mark for quite some time now. It’s no secret that Colorado is known for harsh, snowy, and frigid winters. While most of us Coloradans don’t mind the cold, we want our homes to be warm to escape the chilly outdoor temperatures.
Whether you like your home to be cool at night even in the winter or if you like your home toasty warm, we all want it warmer than the outdoors. Unfortunately, our winters can be brutally cold, making it harder for our homes to warm up. Keep reading for some tips on how to warm up your home this winter so you can be more comfortable.
Check for and Fix Drafts
Anyone who loves winter can agree that although we love the snow, we want those freezing temperatures to stay outside where they belong. We want our homes to be warm enough to take the chill of the outdoors away. If your windows and doors have drafts then your home most likely isn’t getting or staying warm. Drafty windows and doors can cause your HVAC unit to work in overdrive to warm up your home, resulting in a higher energy bill.
Checking for drafts is easy – all you need is a lit candle and a breeze outdoors. Hold the candle safely and very close to the window and door – if you notice the flame flickering then you have a drafty window or door that needs to be fixed. To fix drafty windows, apply caulk to any gaps and cracks. For doors, fix or replace weatherstripping. Fixing drafty windows and doors will keep the cold air out and the warm air in.
Let the Sun Shine
Keeping blinds drawn and curtains closed in summertime keeps our homes cooler. Likewise, keeping them open during wintertime allows for sunlight to enter the home, raising the temperature a few degrees inside. You’ll want to draw the blinds and curtains at nighttime for privacy and to keep cool air out that can enter the home through drafts, however, keeping them open during the daytime will make for a warmer home.
When the sun starts to rise, open the blinds and curtains in your home to allow the sunlight to enter. Not only will it increase your home’s temperature, but it’ll boost your mood as well!
Improve Insulation
Your home’s insulation plays a major role in how warm or cold it is. Insulation works to slow down convective and conductive heat to ultimately move warm air to cool areas in your home. If your home has a hard time warming up or has a few frigid rooms, then there may be an issue with your insulation. Not only does poor insulation make it difficult to warm your home, but it can also increase energy bills and can even have an effect on your home’s gutter system.
Half-round gutter systems are usually full of snow or ice during the winter months and continue to freeze and refreeze all winter long, resulting in icicles and ice dams. These icicles and ice dams form as a result of heat escaping the home. Ice dams and icicles pose risks to your family’s safety, so you’ll want to ensure your insulation doesn’t need any improvements.
Clean Gutters
As we just mentioned, half-round gutters and open-top gutter systems easily collect and retain snow and ice during the winter months. Because the inside of the gutter system is exposed, it’s easy for winter precipitation to build up over time. The amount of ice and snow that’s left to collect depends on how clean the gutter system is. Gutters that are full of debris like pine needles, leaves, and pests make it impossible for any meltwater to move through the gutter system. The result could be dangerous ice dams, icicles and even damages roof shingles and leaks in the attic.
A great rule of thumb is to clean your gutter system before the winter months to ensure they’re free of debris. Cleaning them after fall and at the early start of winter will allow meltwater to flow through the gutters and into the downspout easier, lessening the chance for the gutters to overflow. Cleaning half-round gutters can be time-consuming and dangerous if you’re uncomfortable using a ladder. If you are comfortable, clean your gutters yourself often to avoid clogs.
We all want to be comfortable in our homes – no one wants to be shivering inside their home until spring arrives. By fixing drafts, letting the sunshine inside your home, improving your home’s insulation, and ensuring gutters are clean, your home will be warmer this winter.
As we mentioned earlier, half-round gutters and open-top gutters can easily become clogged with debris, resulting in overflowing gutters. Overflowing and sagging gutters lead to a whole slew of issues for homeowners including leaks in your home, tearing from the soffit and fascia boards, slick walkways, ice dams, foundation damage, etc. Gutter screens and filters don’t keep snow and ice out and other “complete” gutter systems don’t eliminate debris from entering the gutter system. The best solution for homeowners is to install the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System.
Our gutter product is a full system that includes many parts that work together to keep leaves, twigs, pests, and other debris out of the gutter system. The K-Guard Gutter System has a curved hood that allows for snow to slide off, never allowing it to collect and form ice dams over time like other gutter systems.
Homes that don’t have a high-functioning gutter system installed can experience all types of damage like leaks, damage to shingles, rotting fascia boards, flooding, etc. Unfortunately, when a home retains moisture due to an inadequate gutter system, the damage will occur. Luckily, the K-Guard Gutter System protects your home by allowing water to enter the gutter system in different ways so water doesn’t sit and collect on your roof over time.
To install the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System, contact our team of professionals today. Homeowners have chosen K-Guard for many years and our expert team of professionals will help you every step of the way during your gutter installation. We proudly install the K-Guard Gutter System across the state of Colorado including, but not limited to, the following locations: Denver, Colorado Springs, Littleton, Centennial, Aurora, Boulder, and Fort Collins. Schedule your free estimate today!
