Weather-resistant building materials have quickly become one of the fastest-growing segments of the building materials industry, giving home and business owners greater peace of mind that their structures will withstand severe weather events like hurricanes or tornadoes.
Insulation is essential for both homeowners and commercial property owners. Insulation helps regulate temperatures during periods of extreme climate.
Insulate Your Home
Insulation is one of the most cost-effective and energy-efficient ways to shield your home from the elements. Without insulation, heat or cold air escapes through walls, ceilings, and floors resulting in increased energy costs. When choosing insulation products for your home, look for products with high R-value; higher values indicate more effective insulation capabilities.
Insulating roof and ceiling spaces is one of the best ways to save on heating and cooling bills by up to 20%. By adding insulation in this area, insulation can reduce heat loss/gain by 30% or more. You can visit this site to learn more.
One way to strengthen the weatherproofing of your home is by sealing air leaks around doors and windows. Leaks can cause major water damage that’s costly to repair; luckily there are simple solutions like caulking and expanding foam sealants available that can prevent these costly leaks from happening in the first place.
Insulating your attic, basement, and crawl spaces is an excellent idea; but don’t overlook adding insulation to the walls as well. Most homes lack adequate wall insulation compared to new construction. Installing new insulation should be straightforward for new builds while older properties require additional effort.
If you are building a new home, ICF construction may be worth exploring as it offers more weatherproof and tornado-resistant construction solutions than traditional methods.
Existing homes may benefit from increasing ceiling and underfloor insulation by increasing ceiling insulation levels and underfloor insulation respectively. When upgrading insulation in existing homes, however, care should be taken not to wet, moldy, or otherwise compromise it – as this will impede its performance as an insulating barrier.
Add a vapor barrier to your walls to reduce moisture penetration and condensation, which are major sources of rotting and mold growth in buildings. A vapor barrier can be purchased at many hardware stores or home improvement centers and easily installed yourself; for a more permanent solution consult a home improvement contractor about installing radiant barriers or foam boards into your walls.
Clean Your Gutters and Downspouts
Gutters and downspouts are an integral component of weatherproofing your house, redirecting rainwater away from its foundation. Clogged gutters could allow rainwater to seep into walls and ceilings and cause mold, mildew, rot, or structural damage; cleaning your gutters regularly is one way to mitigate such issues by allowing water to move freely through them.
Fall and spring are ideal times for gutter and downspout cleaning, when leaves and debris are falling from trees, making this task far simpler. In addition, this time allows you to inspect them for wear and tear before winter arrives and address any potential problems before winter sets in.
There are various approaches to cleaning gutters and downspouts, but it is crucial that you remember safety while doing it. When climbing a ladder, it must be sturdy and secure, and wear thick rubber work gloves if handling large debris such as branches. Also, remember safety goggles if working with chemicals or power tools.
As soon as you’re ready to get started, hang a bucket from the top of your ladder so you can use it to collect leaves, twigs, and debris as it comes off your gutters. Next, use your garden hose to flush away any gunk that remains. Additionally, adding a gutter cleaner nozzle may help reach into corners where dirt builds up more effectively.
Once your gutters and downspouts have been flushed clean, inspect them for leaks or blockages. If any are found, seal off their joints using waterproof caulking or spray paint and secure any loose gutter hangers immediately.
Additionally, consider upgrading to weather-resistant gutters; adding gutter guards may prevent future clogging costs for less money spent than repairs would otherwise cost.
Install Storm Doors and Windows
Storm doors are second doors equipped with glass panels and framing designs designed to protect exterior doors from rain, snow, and cold air inclement. They can also protect painted or wood doors from scratches, water stains, or insect damage as well as provide pest-free ventilation during summer and insulation in winter.
You can select your style of storm door according to its decor needs; options include multiple screen panels to allow pest-free ventilation as well as multiple hardware choices that fit seamlessly with their appearance. Many choose vinyl windows for their durability. Consulting with professionals can help you decide on the best option for your home.
Installing a storm door can be an easy project when done with assistance from another. First, remove the handle, latch, and strike plate from your existing door on the interior side before opening and closing to test how smoothly the door opens and closes without interfering with its exterior frame. Next, attach the hinge mounting rail according to the manufacturer’s instructions to secure it to your brick mold or frame.
Install the door closer, if applicable. Otherwise, this step can be completed later. Finally, run a bead of caulk around the edge of the frame to block rainwater or wind from entering your house through any gaps.
Depending upon the style of storm door you select, it may be possible to hang it with its hinges aligned on the same side as your existing door for ease of opening and closing.
Once the hinge-side Z bar is in place, measure and mark cut lines if necessary to ensure that it sits correctly in your door opening. Leave at least 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch between the storm door and door casing for expansion and contraction purposes. Attach the handle-side Z bar securely before testing its operation to make sure that it opens and closes easily without clashing with an exterior door.
