With the winter months fast approaching, it’s critical to prepare your home for the changing temperatures. A few simple home improvements can help your home stay warm during this festive season. And not only can home improvements keep your home warm this winter, but they can also help you reduce your energy bills.

Let’s take a close look at seven home improvements that can help improve your heat retention.

1. Insulation Replacement

If you’re serious about keeping your home warm, you probably already have extensive insulation installed around your home. In recent years, insulation quality has increased rapidly. If you want to benefit from better insulation, it might be time to replace your current materials.

2. New Heating System

While this might be a bit more expensive than some of the other home improvements on our list, a new heating system is a surefire way to keep your home warm this winter. If it’s been over ten years since you last replaced your system, it might be a good idea to get it tested to determine if it’s still running efficiently.

3. New Siding

Your siding might be allowing cold air to enter your home if it’s outdated (or deteriorating). This issue can be particularly problematic in wood siding, which can rot over time. By replacing your siding, you’ll be providing your home with a durable shell to protect against the winter weather.

If you’re currently using wood siding, it might be time to consider a more durable material. Vinyl siding is now a popular choice with many American property owners. Not only does it last longer than traditional siding, it is now possible to have vinyl siding with a traditional wood appearance. You can have the best of both worlds.

4. Upgrade Your Windows

Your windows play a major role in your home’s ability to retain heat. If you’re currently using outdated windows, you might be losing a lot of heat during colder weather. By installing energy-efficient window options, such as double-glazing, you’ll be much better prepared to handle the winter months.

5. Seal Cracks or Gaps

Whether it’s in your basement or your attic, gaps and cracks can impact your home’s internal climate. Finding cracks in your home and sealing them is a cost-effective way to keep your home warm this winter.

6. Upgrade your Doors

It’s not just your windows and your siding that play a significant role in your home’s heat retention, your door will also be a contributing factor. It’s essential to choose an energy-efficient door next time you decide to replace your entry points. Your new door should be designed to cover gaps in the doorway and be constructed from durable materials.

7. Clean or Replace Your Gutters

While your gutters won’t play a direct role in your home’s ability to stay warm, they can cause problems that will eventually impact your heat retention. If your gutters are clogged, damaged, or loose, they might begin to place stress on the structure of your home. By cleaning or replacing your gutter system, you can prevent leaks, gaps, and a host of other related issues.

Contact the Experts

If you want to prepare your home for the winter, it’s time to call the professionals. DIY home improvements can sound like a good idea, but if you want to increase your home’s heat retention, it’s best to use a qualified contractor.

If you’re searching for a home improvement team that can help you keep your home warm this winter, contact Authentic Restoration at (855) 849-6494. We offer free quotes to all potential clients.

With the festive season fast approaching, the last thing on your mind is preparing your home for the change in seasons. Unfortunately, if you want to avoid costly issues this winter, it’s a good idea to prepare your home before the temperature drops. Let’s explore some tasks you can perform to help get ready for the coldest part of the year.

Clean and Inspect Your Gutters

When winter starts, your gutters begin to suffer. With rain, snow, and ice accumulating in your gutters, they must be clean enough to handle the increased workload. If your gutters are full of leaves and debris, blockages will be much more likely.

This is also an excellent opportunity to inspect if your gutters are cracked, damaged, or falling away from your house’s structure. If your gutters aren’t in good shape, they might place undue stress on your property’s core structure.

Service Your Heating System

If you’re like most homeowners, you haven’t used your heating system since last winter. While this has probably been beneficial for your energy bills, it also means that your system has gone untested for several months.

Servicing your heating system before winter begins can help prevent a breakdown at an inconvenient time. A heating technician can inspect your system, make adjustments, and ensure there aren’t any ticking time bombs that will impact your ability to stay warm this winter.

Seal Cracks and Gaps

If you have any cracks in your siding or in your attic, it’s essential to seal them before the temperatures drop. Cracks in slate roofs and shingles can cause major issues. If you want to avoid heat escaping your home when you turn your heating system on, you need to repair any significant gaps in your home’s structure. If you’re unsure how to inspect for cracks and holes, contact a professional contractor.

Request a Roof Inspection

Your roof’s condition is critical if you want to enjoy the festive season without any hiccups. As the winter months begin, and rain and snow begin to fall, it’s more important than ever that your roof is up to the task. Even small problems can become significant if a winter storm approaches.

While it’s easy to spot glaring roofing issues, it’s much tougher to find small cracks, gaps, and trouble-spots. By contacting an experienced roofing contractor and requesting an inspection, you can rest assured that your roof is prepared for winter. If there are any issues, your contractor will be able to advise you on the best course of action.

Run Hot Water Through Your Pipes

If the temperatures drop below freezing, it’s critical to run hot water through your pipes regularly. If your pipes freeze, the water within them will expand, and your pipes might burst. This can cause serious leak issues and cost you thousands of dollars.

If you’re taking a family holiday this winter, it’s often a good idea to turn the water off before you leave. Leaving water idle in your pipes can be dangerous if temperatures drop below freezing while you’re away.

Consider New Windows

If you’re currently using outdated windows, it might be costing you. If you’re not using double-glazing, your home will lose a significant amount of heat. While replacing your windows might seem like a large upfront cost, you’ll soon notice the massive impact it has on your energy bills.

Check or Replace Insulation

If you’re struggling to keep your home warm, it might be an issue with your insulation. Over the past few years, insulation has improved dramatically. If you’re using outdated materials, your house might not be as energy-efficient as your neighbor’s. Contact a contracting team if you want to discuss upgrading your insulation.

Contact Us for Winter Preparation

As one of the region’s most trusted contracting teams, we help our clients prepare for the coming winter months. You can contact our team at Authentic Restoration if you need help with any of the tasks mentioned in this article. Call us at (855) 849-6494 to discuss your options.

Your home’s insulation is critical if you want to keep you and your family warm this winter. Many homeowners think insulation issues are primarily related to thin windows and outdated doors, but your attic’s insulation also plays a significant role in your home’s ability to retain heat. If your attic isn’t adequately insulated, your house might be leaking heat and placing stress on your heating system.

Signs Your Attic Isn’t Properly Insulated

If you’re unsure if your attic is insulated correctly, there are a few symptoms you can look for. While these indicators can also point to other structural issues in your home, it’s always worth inspecting your attic’s insulation if you experience any of the issues listed below.

Struggling to Keep Your Home Warm

If you’re always struggling to keep your home warm when the temperature drops, there’s likely to be some form of insulation issue. If your home is poorly insulated, it will continue to leak heat, even when your heating system is running on overdrive. If your family is continually complaining it’s too cold, it might be time to check your attic’s insulation.

Uneven Temperatures

If you’re experiencing uneven temperatures throughout your house, this is also an indication that your insulation isn’t working correctly. If you’re struggling to keep individual rooms in your home warm, you might discover that a particular area of your attic isn’t insulated properly.

High Energy Bills

If your house is staying warm, but you’re continually experiencing high energy bills, it might be an issue with your attic’s insulation. If heat is constantly escaping your house, it means that your heating system must work harder to maintain your internal climate. This can have a drastic impact on your energy bills during the winter months.

This issue is one of the many reasons that it’s essential to keep your attic’s insulation adequately maintained. Not only does it impact your ability to keep your house warm, but it can also cost you money.

Seeking an Inspection

While glaring issues with your attic’s insulation might be easy to spot, other issues can be much harder to assess if you have an untrained eye. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to contact a professional roof contractor like Authentic Restoration, that has experience helping customers identify potential issues. An inspection doesn’t take long, and it can end up saving you a considerable amount of money.

Also, if the problem isn’t related to your attic’s insulation, a professional contractor will be able to help you identify the real source of the issue. It might be the case that your siding, windows, or doors are creating insulation problems for your home. In some cases, your heating system might need to be upgraded.

Making Improvements

If you do need to repair your insulation, there are two primary ways to fix the issue. First, you can add more insulation to your attic, especially in places where it is lacking or outdated. Second, you can seal cracks, gaps, and other holes within your attic. This can help prevent heat from escaping your home.

Contact Authentic Restoration

If you don’t have previous experience repairing or replacing insulation, it’s critical to use an experienced contracting team. The best way to reduce your energy bills and improve your house’s internal climate is to use a team of professionals when you next update your insulation.

If you’re searching for a team to help you improve your attic’s insulation, contact our team at Authentic Restoration. You can reach us by telephone at (855) 849-6494. We provide full inspections and insulation repair services to our clients.

With the festive season approaching, the last thing many property owners are worried about is their gutters. Unfortunately, this means that many families might face issues when temperatures begin to drop, and snow begins to fall. Cleaning your gutters is critical if you want to be fully prepared for this winter.

Below, let’s take a quick look at a few of the reasons it’s essential to clean your gutters this fall.

Prevent Ice Build-Up and Icicles

As temperatures drop, snow and rain will turn into ice in your gutter system. The more effective your drainage system is, the less likely you are to experience a large amount of ice build-up. When too much ice accumulates, it can form an “ice dam,” which can place an extreme amount of weight on your gutter system.

Icicles might also form if you don’t clean your gutters. Not only does the weight of an icicle put stress on your gutters, it’s also hazardous for your family. When icicles fall, they can cause severe injury or death to individuals standing below.

Keep Drainage Consistent

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean that your gutters won’t need to drain. If it’s not cold enough to create ice, rainy winter conditions can overload your gutters. Cleaning them before winter will help you prevent issues when conditions get wetter.

If your gutters are currently draining correctly, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean them. Leaves will continue to fall as temperatures drop, causing potential blockages and issues for homeowners.

Preparing for Spring Thaw

While ice might build up over the winter months, it will eventually melt when the temperatures begin to rise. If your gutters and drainage system are clogged or blocked, it can create severe problems when your ice turns into water. Keeping your gutters clean before winter begins can help you prepare for spring.

If your gutters can’t properly drain when spring begins, water might build up around the edges of your home. This can cause leaking issues in your property and damage your garden.

Checking Structural Integrity

While the primary purpose of cleaning gutters is to remove debris and leaves, it’s also an excellent opportunity to check the current condition of your gutter system. If your gutters are loose, falling apart, or experiencing any form of decay, they might not be ready to handle the winter conditions.

It’s often best to use a professional team if you want to carry out a gutter & roof inspection. If you don’t have any contracting or roofing experience, you might not be able to recognize trouble-spots.

Taking Advantage of the Warmer Climate

If you do decide to clean your gutters, it’s best to do so before the winter season begins. Performing any home improvements or maintenance can be a nightmare during the winter months. Cold temperatures, rainy weather, and other adverse conditions mean it’s best to take care of winter preparation before the climate changes.

Get in Touch with Authentic Restoration Before Winter Begins

If it’s time to clean your gutter system, make sure to contact a professional team of gutter or roof specialists. It can be tempting to climb up a ladder and clean your gutters on your own, but it’s actually extremely dangerous.

Not only is it unsafe to clean your own gutters, but you won’t have the expertise to spot potential structural problems and other gutter-related issues. Our team can provide a full assessment of your system and its viability.

At Authentic Restoration, we’re more than happy to discuss any home improvement or maintenance issues with potential clients. Call us at (855) 849-6494 to schedule your pre-winter gutter cleaning.

Some property owners insist on DIY roof inspections and repairs. While it’s always best to leave this type of job to professionals, there are a few safety tips that can help you reduce the chances of an accident. Below, let’s look at ten critical safety tips for roofing.

Always Bring a Partner

You should never climb onto your roof without having a partner watching your movements. Using a partner means that you’ll benefit from an extra pair of eyes that can spot potential issues and advise you on the surrounding conditions. Also, using a partner means that if a problem arises, you’ll have someone that can seek help immediately.

Make Sure It’s Dry

If you’re having roofing problems, it can be tempting to climb onto your roof regardless of the conditions. No matter what you do, you should never step onto your roof if it’s raining or wet. While some shingles feel like they contain grip or traction, wet conditions still create hazardous situations. Wait until your roof is completely dry before you consider putting your weight on it.

Use Shoes with Reliable Traction

It goes without saying, but it’s critical to use shoes with reliable traction if you’re planning on walking on your roof. Using industrial boots with strong support is often the best way to prevent slippagethe next time you climb onto your roof.

Choose an Even Surface for Your Ladder

One of the most critical safety tips on our list involves placing your ladder on a sturdy and even surface. If you place your ladder on uneven ground, its ability to support your weight will drastically decrease. It’s also essential to have your partner hold the bottom of the ladder as you climb. This creates extra support.

Use a Harness

Using a harness is an excellent way to increase your safety when you’re climbing or walking on your roof. You’ll need to secure a harness carefully. You can typically attach it to a ridge or roof anchor.

Stay Aware

It’s easy to lose concentration if you’re spending a lot of time on your roof, but you should always make sure you’re aware of your surroundings and potential hazards. Getting too comfortable can be perilous.

Track the Weather

Weather can change quickly. You don’t want to get caught on top of your roof if rain or wind suddenly approaches. Make sure to keep your eye on weather reports and avoid climbing on your roof if adverse conditions are expected.

Avoid Clutter

If you’re bringing tools or materials onto your roof, make sure they’re well organized and grouped together. Leaving clutter around various parts of your roof can increase the chances that you trip, slip, or fall.

Know Yourself

Before you decide to climb on your roof, you need to have a full understanding of your abilities and your fears. If you don’t have a good sense of balance, it’s best to avoid climbing on your roof altogether — it can be hard to stand on a slanted surface.

Also, if you have a fear of heights, it’s best to avoid climbing on your roof. While it might not seem too high when you’re looking up from the ground, your perspective can change once you’re standing on top of your house.

Secure Your Ladder

You can secure your ladder using a wide variety of tools. Tie-down straps are often the best way to secure your ladder. In addition to using your partner to hold your ladder, tie-down straps can help you increase your ladder’s stability.

Leave It to The Professionals

While the above tips can help reduce your exposure to hazards, it’s always best to avoid climbing on your roof. If you need to perform an inspection or make repairs, contact a contracting team with roofing expertise.

If you want a professional team to help you with your next roofing job, Authentic Restoration has years of experience providing affordable services to local clients. You can contact our team at (855) 849-6494 to discuss your requirements.