The pest population outside your home may be declining but indoors the battle’s about to be pitched. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your home critter free as nights get colder and creatures seek the warmth inside.
Sandbags can be useful in redirecting storm water and debris flows away from your home. But be sure that the sandbags are properly filled and maintained.
Flood protection can involve a variety of changes to your house and property–changes that can vary in complexity and cost. You may be able to make some types of changes yourself. But complicated or large-scale changes and those that affect the structure of your house or its electrical wiring and plumbing should be carried out only by a professional contractor licensed to work in your state, county, or city.
Are you looking for ways to protect your home from flooding? There are many things you can do, depending on the flood hazard in your area, the characteristics of your property, and the zoning and building codes in your community. Some methods are fairly simple and inexpensive; others will require a professional contractor.
Warmed or air-conditioned air mixes with outside air through gaps in your home’s thermal envelope—exterior walls, windows, doors, the roof, and floors. Such air leaks can waste large amounts of energy.
Air leaks between your home’s interior and the outdoors can be a constant drain of energy and money. The air leakage in a typical U.S. home is equal to leaving a window wide open. To stop these air leaks, all doors and windows should be weatherstripped; all seams, cracks and openings to the outside should be caulked or sealed.
Caulks and sealants are your home’s best defense against the elements. They are intended to seal gaps around the exterior of your home to keep out moisture, which can cause rot and structural damage, and air, which can deplete heating and cooling energy.
