5 Tips to Tame a Killer Winter

1. Increase Your Insulation
snow remin the most severe cases, poor insulation can be costing you money not just in fuel or electricity, but in repairs! Those in colder climates should pay particular attention to the insulation on their pipes to prevent freezing (and possible rupture). According to ServiceMagic.com, an online resource matching homeowners to contractors, the average cost of adding insulation to your walls and attic nationwide is about $1,590 for blown-in insulation and around $1,884 for other types of insulation.

In colder climates, the savings can pay for the upgrade rather quickly. For example, if you double the R-value of your insulation over 1000 square feet of a home in central West Virginia , a home with electric heat (at $0.12 per Kilowatt Hour) may see a reduction of about $211 the first year. If that same home were in Vermont , the first year savings would be closer to $295. These estimates (generated by the Insulation Upgrade Savings Calculator at builditsolar.com) only take into account savings during the winter; you may see additional savings in the summer if you have central A/C!

2. Inspect Your Roof
Your roof plays an important role all year round, but during the winter roofs in colder climates can be subjected to some pretty harsh mistreatment. Snow and ice can add a lot of weight to your roof, and if it isn’t able to support that weight, breaches, leaks, or even collapse can occur.

By getting a roof inspection, you are taking a step to reduce problems in the winter, but you are also doing your home a favor for the rest of the year by identifying small problems before they become large ones. ServiceMagic puts the average cost of a roof inspection at just under $300 nationwide; if that couple hundred dollars leads to finding a small leak before it has the chance to do any damage, you could be avoiding a $500 to $1,500 roof repair, a $2,000 drywall replacement, or a $2,500 mold removal (or put a few more years between you and your next multiple thousand dollar roof replacement)!

3. Supplement Heating
Our heating systems generally do a pretty good job, but anyone who’s gotten hit this year with incredibly cold weather or a long term power outage knows that a little extra heat doesn’t hurt! While the classic fireplace can be as charming as it is warm, their efficiency can leave much to be desired (but, hey, $3,000 for a brick fireplace installation or $1,350 for a pre-fab might just be worth it anyway)! For anyone looking for a heavy-duty second heat source, a wood or pellet stove might be just what the doctor ordered. With an average installation cost of under $2,500 (stove not included!), the expense might seem a bit much, but when you consider that some of today’s pellet, biomass, and wood stoves are capable of heating an entire house, this investment might be worth looking into. It should be noted that some newer stoves require electricity to operate; if you live in an area where power outages are a way of life, make sure you get a stove that will do the job without the help of the utility company!

4. Install a Generator
The recent rash of killer winter weather that has gripped much of the eastern US is only the latest installment in what has turned out to be a winter that will go down in history. Massive power outages and snow heavy enough to inhibit travel for days at a time have been the norm for many of us this year, but just because the lights go out doesn’t mean you have to be powerless!

Small, portable generators that can be used to power a few household staples are relatively inexpensive and can work in a pinch, but are not nearly powerful enough to provide electricity to an entire house. Stationary emergency generators that can give you all the comforts of home during a power outage are a bit more pricey. Remodeling Magazine’s latest Cost vs. Value Report puts the total price of outfitting your property with a hefty standby generator at over $14,000; ServiceMagic (who processed over 2,500 requests for generator installation in 2008) puts the national average cost of installing a generator at under $1,500 plus the cost of the unit (which can vary dramatically).

5. Call for Snow Removal
Snow can be beautiful, but few would say that shoveling their driveway in sub-freezing temperatures is a job they look forward to. If your driveway is a formidable one, perhaps the coziest addition you can make to your home for this winter and the ones to come is to hire a snow removal service. Imagine, waking up after a nighttime snowfall and being able to relax, eat your breakfast, and enjoy your morning coffee and simply hopping from your house to your car without lifting a shovel (or straining your lower back). Snow removal services often charge by the storm, and may have a higher rate if they must return twice during the same storm. Of course, the bottom line price will vary depending on the size of your driveway, but no matter what deal you strike, put it in writing (which shouldn’t be a problem for a professional snow removal service)!