Let’s face it; we live in Illinois. We don’t have to love snow, but we do have to deal with it. We might as well make the most of it, right? Today we want to go through several really good home winterization tips that won’t cost an arm and a leg. We’ll also touch on a few ideas for warming the house up on those super-chilly days, so make sure you read to the end.

Evergreens – Most people love to increase their curb appeal with greenery. Maintain the level of greenery around your home by planting evergreens such as pine trees near the house. This helps protect your home from arctic blasts by blocking the wind and it can actually reduce energy costs by roughly 30%.
Insulation – Spray foam insulation in areas that allow draft into the home. Look specifically at areas where plumbing enters the home: the laundry room, behind the dishwasher, the toilets and sinks.
Curtains – Blackout curtains are very good insulators. They reflect the sun’s rays and help warm windows simply by hanging there.
Plastic Window Wrap – Drafty windows are a serious problem and have to be addressed before winter weather sets in. Plastic window covering has come a long way throughout the years. It used to look bad because it didn’t stay in place as effectively as today’s plastic. Today’s window wrap installs very smoothly and is nearly undetectable from the outside.
Storm Doors – Storm doors help you save up to 45% on your energy bill. Let that one sink in a bit. That’s a huge amount of savings for something so simple. Our Simonton storm doors are absolutely amazing.
Draft Stoppers – Draft stoppers can be anything from a piece of vinyl that attaches to the bottom of the door to a folded towel or rug in front of the door to prevent drafts.
Weatherstripping – Check all of your windows and doors for drafts and install weatherstripping as needed. Your windows and doors should close easily with a small amount of resistance as the weatherstripping compresses.
Service the HVAC System – Call your local HVAC repairman and request a service appointment to make sure your heat pump is ready for winter.
Clean the Chimney – The chimney is often overlooked because it is out of sight, out of mind. Many homeowners think it’s just an avenue for smoke, but cleaning the chimney is extremely important. A dirty chimney can cause a chimney fire or allow carbon monoxide and smoke to enter your home.
Clean and Service the Fireplace – The fireplace is also a fully functioning appliance that needs regular servicing. Discuss a fireplace cleaning with the chimney sweep who cleans your chimney. Most are capable of cleaning the fireplace as well.
Check the Pipes – Plumbing is very susceptible to the freeze-thaw process that we experience here in Illinois. Check all pipes to make sure they’re properly insulated, and consider adding pipe insulation or a pipe warmer.
Bake Something – This is the fun part. Baking uses energy, but it also helps knock the chill out of the house, so it helps keep you nice and toasty, too. Look for some amazing bread recipes and crank up the oven on cold days.

These winterization tips are pretty easy to follow and will truly help save money on your energy bills throughout the winter. We encourage you to try several of them together, and scour the Internet until you find several great recipes for breads and warm drinks. Playing in the snow and coming back into the house for a nice hot drink and freshly baked bread is the stuff winter memories are made of.

We would love to show you our selection of Simonton windows and storm doors, and encourage you to stop by our showroom for the grand tour. Our showroom is located at 50 East Palatine Road in Palatine, IL. Or you can call us at 847-991-9180.