Five Winter Home Improvement Tips

Now that winter is here, we start to spend more time at home and appreciate the comfort of indoor activities. But if cooler months find you twiddling your thumbs and looking for something to do, try a home improvement project or two. It's a great way to past the time while adding value and pleasure to your home. Below are a few ideas for starters.

1) Got a garage that's being wasted on storing everything but the family car? Consider converting some or all of your garage space into another bedroom, an office, a gym or even a workshop.

2) Is your home chilly despite the thermostat settings? It may be time to replace your old heating and air or add an electric or gas fireplace. There are multiple style fireplaces to choose from and you could lower your electric heating bill. Note: If you have an older indoor thermostat, you should considering replacing it with a modern digital thermostat. Digital thermostats provide enhanced temperature sensing capabilities making them more accurate at maintaining your indoor temperatures.

3) While you're at it, get rid of your old-fashioned storm windows and invest in energy efficient windows. Reinstall the window latches if they are not working. Repair any cracked or broken windowpanes and check exterior for cracks. Pipes and wires should be sealed while outer walls should be checked and filled up so that no air can leak in.

4) Consider adding new and more insulation in your walls. If it is possible, make sure walls are insulated to R11. Insulating your basement walls should warm your home from top to bottom and reduce common moisture problems caused by condensation.

5) Gutters should be clean at all times. If they are rusty, they should be replaced with new aluminum or vinyl gutters. All interior drains should be free of debris.

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