Getting ready for Fall
Before you know it, the summer season will be in the rearview mirror and fall will be showing its face in brightly colored leaves, shorter crisp days, and cooler nights. Heading into this transition is a perfect time to perform routine maintenance in preparation for the upcoming cooler months! Below are several important tips for you to consider when getting your home fall-ready!
Summer is finally here and it’s time to enjoy those perfect summer days and nights. There is nothing quite like a summer cookout spent with family & friends or a long fun filled day at the beach. With all the excitement summer brings, it also can shine light on those projects around the house that may need attention. We’ve shared some helpful tips and reminders to help care for your home this summer.
Summer is breathing it’s last breath, kids are preparing to head back to school and here in New England the weather can turn fast. Prepare now for the impending chill of Fall and winter with some easy home maintenance tasks you can do yourself and some you may want to call in the Pros for.
The introduction of the heating season brings new potential for fire hazards, so take a moment to review fire safety in your home as well performing some yearly routine maintenance tasks listed below.
Have you ever had to run up to your attic to grab something in the middle of a hot day in summer? Do you ever notice how stifling hot it can get up there? Believe it or not that heat can transfer into your main living space and cause your cooling system to work overtime, even more so if your cooling components are located in the attic. A system that has to work harder is much less efficient and ultimately could be costing you a lot more money. Increased temperatures in your attic can also cause added wear & tear on your roof shingles and reduce their longevity. The solution? Active Attic ventilation.
Why do you need an Attic Fan?
In summer, temperatures in an unventilated attic can exceed 160 degrees. A properly sized attic ventilation
system will reduce attic temperature to 5-10 degrees F above the outdoor temperature. Ventilating
the attic reduces the amount of heat transferred from the attic to the home, decreases the load on the air
conditioning system (reducing your electric bill), and extends the life of your roof shingles.
In winter, heat trapped in the attic may melt snow on the roof, which trickles down and creates destructive
ice dams in the colder eaves.
Everyday home activities such as cooking and showering create moisture which collects in the attic and
promotes mold and mildew growth, reduces the effectiveness of insulation, and attacks the wooden attic
structure. Year round fresh air circulation from an Attic Fan removes this moisture and helps prevent
moisture related problems.
Attic fans offer an environmentally friendly and economical solution to summer time cooling problems
resulting from attic heat penetrating your home’s insulation. . The higher the temperature of your attic,
the less effective your attic insulation will be at stopping heat from entering your home.
Installation of an Attic Fan on your home minimizes the amount of heat entering through the attic by
reducing your attic temperature. By minimizing the amount heat entering your home, you will save
money on your summer cooling bill and make your house feel more comfortable (see diagrams below).
• The cost savings due to reduced air conditioner load depends on the price of electricity in your area, and can be
even greater when installing a solar unit. Other factors include: the amount of attic space in your home, the efficiency
of your attic insulation, and the amount of ventilation your attic vent is able to provide. A typical installation
will usually pay for itself in savings within 1-2 summers of use.
• An Attic Fan should not be used when air from the living areas of the home can freely enter the attic. This would
result in conditioned air being removed from the home. Any openings between the attic and the home should be
sealed before an Attic Fan is installed.
When assessing whether you should replace your windows, ask yourself the following questions:
• Do my windows get condensation or a frost buildup?
• If you touch the interior pane of glass is it cold to the touch in the winter? How about in the summer;
is the interior window pane warm to the touch?
• When sitting next to your window in the winter does it feel colder than the rest of the house?
• From inside your home, take a lighted candle and hold it so the flame is in line with the window
frame and slowly trace the entire frame of your closed window. Does the flame flicker anywhere
around the frame?
• Take a look at your windows outside; is the trim rotting, cracking or missing?
• Is the glass broken or cracked anywhere?
• Do your windows ever get stuck closed or open or won’t stay closed or opened?
• Are you unhappy with the way your windows look?
• Utility bills are significantly lower when older windows are replaced with energy efficient windows.
The amount of money saved in energy costs adds up quickly and the windows often pay for
themselves.
• If your windows get a condensation or frost buildup it means that they are not insulating your
home well enough. This extra moisture can cause serious problems from rotting frames and increased
heating costs to dangerous mold growth that can harm your family’s health.
• If your window is cold to the touch in the winter and hot to the touch in the summer it means that
your window is not insulating your home correctly and is putting an extra work load on your
HVAC system and costing you money.
• If sitting by your window in the winter feels colder than the rest of the house it means that there is
either a draft, your window is not insulating properly, or both. This means more money spent on
your heating bill.
• If a flame flickers next to your closed window it means there is a draft. This can lead to water infiltration
causing mold growth, water damage to carpet and furniture, rotting window frames and
extra heating and cooling costs.
• If the glass is cracked or broken anywhere it is extremely dangerous for your family and can cause
accidents or injury. In addition, cracked windows put an extra burden on heating and cooling costs.
• If your windows don’t operate correctly it is a sign that they are too old and are beginning to fail.
The frame is most likely warped, which can create multiple problems.
• New windows allow you an opportunity to update the aesthetics of your home, with various finishes, grid patterns and window styles, windows are becoming an important design element.
• Newer windows provide better UV protection and can prevent fading and home damage as well as
keep your family safe from the sun’s harmful radiation.
If you would like to incorporate new windows into your next project call 508-279-0656 or inquire online