As the temperatures drop, it becomes more and more crucial to stay warm. While your main thought might be turning on your furnace or heater, other parts of the home need to be winter-efficient to keep everything running and for you to stay comfortable. If you do not take the time to fix up other problems, it can actually lead you to use more energy, hiking up your utility bills.
Whether it be filling in gaps or keeping your plumbing in check, proper home repairs can keep you happy all winter long. While some of the following can be done on your own, make sure you call in the team at Valley Plumbing to help you with more extensive work, like frozen water line services in Bountiful, UT.
Door Gaps
The bottom parts of our doors often have a gap between them and the floor to provide some airflow. However, in the winter, this can lead to drafts which can cause us to feel much chillier. This will cause us to crank up our furnaces more. Along with using more energy, this can overwork the system and cause a complete breakdown.
To avoid these consequences, you can invest in weatherstrips. Usually made of rubber, these strips not only keep out the cold but also moisture and bugs. They make different types for a variety of doors and can save you up to 20% of your energy usage. You can also find weatherstrips for your windows, too!
Painting Your Walls
This might sound off the wall, but a fresh coat of paint can act as a great sealant. Over time, our forms are worn and torn by age and weather. This can lead to excessive cracking and gapping. Just like door gaps, this leads to extra cold spots in your home.
Even one coat of paint can make all of the difference in covering up these flaws. Some great choices of paint include acrylic caulk and elastomeric paint. Both of these have been recommended by professionals and can be found in plenty of big boxes hardware stores. A blocking primer can further help by covering the issues that typical painting cannot fix.
Get Your Pipes Insulated
The weather really does change the way your pipelines work. When the weather gets cold, it can make them contract by up to 9%. Not only this, but exposed pipes can become frozen, which will make the water or sewage in them freeze, too. This leads to backups in your system. Consequences of this include cracks, clogs, and possibly even burst pipes.
The best way to combat this is by calling in plumbers to weatherize your pipes. Valley Plumbing can come in no time to put the right insulation on that will keep them warm. If you begin to notice frozen pipes, you can take a few steps while you wait for their team to arrive, including turning off your main water line and thawing the ice with a hair dryer.
Start Preparing Early
It would be best if you did not wait to weatherize your home until the weather is too harsh. Doing so will only add to the possibility of further issues. Precautions should be implemented during the fall before the first cold snap strikes.
However, there are times when emergencies are bound to happen, and Valley Plumbing knows this, especially for a state like Utah. This is why they provide 24/7 services to their clients in Salt Lake City, Lehi, and Bountiful, UT. That way, if a burst frozen pipe causes you stress at 4 a.m. on the weekend, you won’t have to wait around in agony.
Your home is meant to provide you with the utmost comfort year-round, especially in the winter. Let Valley Plumbing assist you in making that a full-time guarantee. Call them today and learn more about all of the services they can provide you, no matter the season!
