Life hacks are designed to silently improve your life with a few quick and easy fixes. Today we tackle the hot and cold spots in your home, causing cost and comfort damage year round.
An improperly crafted attic, or one that contains holes or lacks proper insulation, can create hot and cold spots in your house. These spots can be more than just a nuisance. They can mean a lack of comfort and a higher power bill.
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What can you do to restore comfort and cost to your house? Performing a few quick fixes can help the situation and ensure your living space is not only more comfortable, but less costly through your energy bills. We call these life hacks!
Learn What Creates Cold Spots
If you are experiencing cold and hot spots in your home, the cause could be in some of those hard-to-reach, out-of-mind places such as your attic. Spots of varying temperature can be caused by an array of things, from leaks to filters to outright holes. Sometimes the ducts in your house aren’t sealed tightly or well-insulated. A dirty air filter could be blocking your airflow, or the thermostat could be malfunctioning or in the wrong place entirely.
Regardless of the cause of such temperature variants, hot and cold spots can be uncomfortable in your home. One second you need a pair of slippers, and the next second you’re baking! If this is the case for you, there are a few minor home improvements you can do to eliminate the issue.
Find Your Leaks
Before you get out the toolkit, you need to uncover the source of the problem. An unfinished attic can create a variety of issues owing to poor insulation, windows not being properly sealed, or even issues with your ducts. Therefore, examine each feature carefully to see if it could be the source of a leak. Life hacks aren’t complicated, so look closely and find the source of your woes.
A quick and easy way to do a spot check on your attic is to examine your roof safely after a snowfall. If there are leaks, you may see areas of melted snow or a large number of icicles in certain areas. You can also try to pressurize your house by tightening all the windows and doors, save for one window where you secure a box fan. Once the box fan is properly secured, turn it on, and you should be able to feel with your hands the air escaping.
Plug Your “Holes”
Once you’ve uncovered your leaks, there are a few things you can do to repair the issue and secure your home. You’ll see more improvement if you start with the bigger holes and work your way down. In most cases, some new insulation might be in order. Stuffed bags can help you fill joist spaces or the holes under the attic walls. With small leaks, you can use spray foam insulation or caulk.
While you can attempt to insulate small leaks yourself, larger leaks or an attic with older HVAC equipment may require the help of a licensed professional. Your home should not be a place where you have to worry about constantly pulling a sweater on and off to get the feel of the temperature just right. Performing life hacks often means hiring help. If you are experiencing hot and cold spots in your home, it is time to think about doing a little work to fix the problem. Your family and your pocketbook will thank you.
Images via Flickr by Julien Dumont
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