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Preparing Your Home for the Winter Chill

By: Rainbow International |  0 Shares     67 Reads

Prepare your home for whatever winter has in store this season by following these simple and affordable tips from Rainbow International®.

(PRWEB) November 05, 2012

Cold weather can be hard on your home and especially on your wallet. Prepare your home for whatever winter has in store this season by following these simple and affordable tips from Rainbow International®.

Mind the thermostat

It’s easy to forget to turn down the heat when you leave the building, but doing so is one of the easiest ways to save money. According to The Daily Green, most households shell out 50 to 70 percent of their energy budgets on heating and cooling, so why pay for what no one uses?

Insulate

Insulating your attic may cost you a little money now, but it will save you more in the long run. Inadequate insulation in attics allows heat to rise up and out of your house, forcing heating systems to work harder to keep the interior warm.

Clean the gutters

After the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters so that previous rain and snow will drain away. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and then seeps into the house.

Run fans in reverse

Running your fan in counterclockwise rotation produces cooling breezes while switching to clockwise makes it warmer. Air pooled near the ceiling is circulated back into the living space, cutting your heating costs as much as 10 percent!

Dodge the draft

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste five to 30 percent of your energy use. Start simple and either purchase or make your own draft snake. You can easily make one yourself by placing a rolled bath towel under a drafty door. You can use any scraps of fabric and fill with sand or kitty litter for weight.

Seal those ducts

Studies show 10 to 30 percent of heated or cooled air escapes from ducts. Hire a professional technician to come out and test your duct system, and fix any problems. Properly sealing ducts can save the average home up to $140 annually, according to the American Solar Energy Society.

Turn down your water heater

Many conventional water heaters are set to 140 degrees F by installers, but most households don’t need that much steam. Lowering the temperature to 120 degrees F (or lower) would reduce your water heating costs by six to 10 percent.

About Rainbow International®

Established in 1980, Rainbow International is a global franchise organization providing residential and commercial restoration and cleaning services. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500,” Rainbow International franchisees offer a broad range of damage restoration services (ranging from water, smoke and fire damage to carpet and upholstery cleaning and deodorization) to more than 330 locations worldwide. The new Rapid Structural Drying Network of Rainbow International has established a network of elite water loss mitigation franchises across the United States. Rainbow International is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc. For further information or to find the location nearest you, visit http://www.rainbowinternational.com.

Contact:

Mandi Clark
Rainbow International
www.rainbowintl.com/
254-537-0788

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