KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – BE PREPARED FOR WINTER COLD

KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – BE PREPARED FOR WINTER COLD

It sure seems like winter is coming fast and furious these days. As we get ready for the colder months it’s time to get your home prepared. Here are some quick tips and tricks for you to winterize your home.

Check for leaks around doors and windows using a candle. If the flame flickers wildly or worse blows out you have a heat loss problem. You can help prevent this with a few inexpensive solutions from your favorite home center. Stick on weather stripping it’s easy to affix to a door or window.

You can also replace the thresholds under the door. They have rubber inserts that will seal the door when it is closed. Caulking around a window’s interior frame can also be useful. Use silicone caulk its shrinkage is minimal. There are also draft stopping gaskets that fit behind light switch plates and electrical sockets.

There should of course be insulation in your attic but we don’t often think of the basement. The basement is the coldest part of the house and putting insulation between the floor joists keeps cold air from seeping into the rest of the house. Also be aware there is a federal tax credit for weather proofing done in your home. Check with your accountant or find out online.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO