CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Winterizing your home will help keep you and your family comfortable on these cold winter nights. Here are some helpful tips to keep everyone cozy this winter.
First things first, it's important to insulate your attic. Think of attic insulation as the warm blanket that keeps your home warm all winter.
Here are some signs that you need better attic insulation in your home:
- Drafty rooms
- Rooms that are too hot or too cold
- Uneven temperatures between rooms
- High heating and cooling bills
A poorly insulated attic can result in 25% heat loss. That means that 25% of your average heating costs are put toward energy that will not even heat your home.
Inspect your chimney and fireplace. A large amount of warm air is pulled up and out of the chimney. Consider installing glass doors to help prevent air from escaping.
Behind the attic, windows rank second as a main contributor to heat loss during the winter. Check to make sure all windows are properly sealed and consider storm windows.
Also, add these items to your checklist:
- Check and replace weather stripping around windows and doors
- Insulate exposed pipes
- Clean out gutters
- Install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
If you have a window air conditioning unit, it should either be removed or sealed during winter to prevent chilly air from entering the home and warm air escaping.
For the latest weather alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.
On average, the coldest daytime temperature in Charlotte is 52 degrees and the coldest nighttime temperature is 32 degrees.
The best setting for the thermostat is the lowest temperature at which your family is comfortable. Most people are comfortable in a setting of 68 to 70 degrees. Also, consider purchasing a programmable thermostat to help reduce your energy bill while keeping your home nice and cozy.
Contact KJ Jacobs at kjacobs3@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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