3 Tips to Effectively Heat Your Home

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Even when you are in the middle of a summer heat wave, it is never too early to start thinking about effectively heating your home in the colder months. One of the major benefits of starting early is you can beat the crowd if you need upgrades or repairs to your system or home to stay comfortable.

Be Mindful of Air Vents

Air vents are imperative for circulating heat throughout your home and they can easily become clogged or blocked. When you are cleaning, make sure you inspect each air vent, especially if they are in the floor. Dust, debris, or a broken air vent will minimize or obstruct heated air from entering the room. If you have a hose attachment, vacuum around the vent and over the grills or screen. Whenever possible, take the extra step to remove the air vent, which is often secured with two screws, and vacuum inside. If your vents are located in the floor, make sure any furniture is moved away from the vent, so air can circulate properly.

Change Your Flooring

Your flooring can have an impact on how cold a room feels, even when the heat is on. Most flooring, such as tile, wood, or concrete are difficult to heat. The easiest option is to choose carpet for certain rooms in your home, especially ones that seem colder than the rest of the home. A plush carpet may retain heat better than a bare floor, especially when a thicker carpet is combined with padding. Consider using a darker colored carpet to better retain heat. If you have the budget, you may also want to consider radiant floor heating for some of the rooms inside your home. This may help fill-in the gaps in rooms that are difficult to heat.

Check for Heat-Loss Culprits

As the warmer months dwindle, this is a good time to begin checking areas of your home that may be the culprit for significant heat loss during the cooler months. In some cases, the summer heat and humidity can expose weak areas around doors and windows or other structural problems. Twice per year, preferably in the spring and fall, take an inventory of the inside and outside the structure of your home.

If you notice any small cracks, you can typically fix them on your own with appropriate supplies from a local hardware store. Larger problems, such an ill-fitting door or window frame may need to be re-installed professionally to minimize heat loss during the winter and to maintain security. If you are unsure whether a problem is developing, you should consider taking pictures, so you can compare them between checks. This may help you remember if new cracks are forming or widening as the weather changes.

Taking preventative action is the best way to stay comfortable during the winter. If you suspect any problems, it is best to have the problem fixed well before the colder months approach. For more information, contact a business such as Bill Rhiner's Plumbing, Heating & Cooling.

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A New Kind of Piping Makes DIY Plumbing Easier

My homes have always had either copper or PVC plumbing pipes. But when my plumbing system needed an overhaul last spring, I wanted a piping system for my home that I could work on myself when needed. There were a lot of good reasons to choose PEX piping, but my favorite thing about the PEX piping is that it's easy to work with, even if you're a beginner like me. Now I can make small repairs myself instead of calling the plumber every time I have a minor leak or other small problem. I still call the plumber for the big stuff, but it's more affordable now that I can take care of small issues myself. I started this blog to help others learn how they, too, can do DIY plumbing repairs at home.