The winter is still four months away. But without proper preparation, you may get excessively expensive utility bills reparation cost. You need to maintain room temperature within the house while the outside falls to freezing. Such a drastic temperature difference may crack some pipes and cause water leaks.

Inspecting the Insulation Quality

Insulation has three benefits. First, it keeps the house’s temperature within a comfortable range (21 to 25 degree Celcius). Second, high-quality insulation materials can filter the air from dust and maintain the air moisture in the house. Third, heat insulation also means less noise.

Our house needs insulation on the pipework, entry points (windows and doors), and attic. The wall needs to be insulated too, but if you buy a house from an estate agency, you do not need to worry much about it because wall insulation is a building standard in four-seasons countries. However, if you think that you need some improvement, you should call an insulation expert to evaluate your situation.

Insulating the Attic

Organic wool is the ideal material for attic insulation. It traps debris and air pollutants, and it maintains the humidity in the house. If you have it in your attic, you will be comfortable spending time at home not only during winter but also summer. Organic wool also damps noises from both inside and outside of the house.

Besides the insulation, you have to inspect your roof shingles too. Replace any broken pieces or apply a coating on them. The best brands in the market are Rubberseal Liquid Rubber Waterproofing and Protective Coating, GacoRoof GR1600-1 Silicone Coating, and Gardner 5 Gal. Sta-Kool Elastomeric Roof Coating.

Insulating the Plumbing Pipes

Freezing air can turn the water inside the pipes into ice. Once the pressure inside the pipeline is high enough, it will burst and break. And that damage will disrupt the water supply system at home.

Pipe insulation can prevent water leaks and pipe bursts. However, before you install any insulators, you should check if the house’s pipework is in top condition. Visible lines are easy to inspect, but you are going to need leak detection services to scrutinize the pipelines inside the wall and floor. Professional leak detectors use advanced devices that allow them to locate leaks without having to cut through to any structures.

Pipe insulators come in tape, foam, and cable form. The tape and foam are for -10 to -15 degree Celcius, and the cable is for extremely low temperature. But the cable insulator requires electricity to work, and thus you must be careful in installing it.

Insulting the Entry Points

Door and window insulation uses the same material, which is the weatherstrip. It is inexpensive and practical to install. For drafty doors, you are going to need a door threshold with an inch of a gap for the weatherstrip. Use a hacksaw to cut the threshold into the fitting size of a preferred door. As for the window, you can directly install the weatherstrip into the gaps in the frame. Adjust the size and length of weatherstrip by cutting it with a scissor.…