HomeKeepr Blog

As summer slowly shifts to autumn, cooler days and chilly nights are just around the corner. While this can be a relief after the summer heat, it won’t be as much of a relief when your heating costs start stacking up. Fortunately, it’s possible to prepare in advance to avoid some of the extra costs of winter while still keeping your home comfortable throughout the season. Though there are countless ways to do so and the right options for you will largely depend on your specific home, here are some little things you can do now that will have a big impact on how well your home keeps out the cold air this winter.

Sometimes, the purpose of features in your home isn’t quite apparent. This can lead to you having an “a-ha!” moment later when the purpose of a seemingly quirky home feature becomes apparent. With some features, though, that moment can take a while to arrive. One feature that might not seem to have a real purpose, if you aren’t already aware of what it’s for, is a plant ledge.

First impressions go a long way. This is applicable to not only when you meet someone new, but also when somebody sees your house for the first time. Regardless of whether it’s a friend or colleague coming over to visit or a prospective buyer looking at a property you’re trying to sell, the importance of curb appeal shouldn’t be underestimated.

Keeping the climate in your home under control is important throughout the year. Not only do you need to have a reliable way to keep the heat of the summer sun at bay, but you’ll also want some method of keeping toasty and warm on cool autumn evenings and throughout the frigid winter. For many homeowners, this means a forced-air heat pump, usually as part of a combined central heating and cooling system. This isn’t the only option that’s available, however.

Having enough storage space is a struggle that many homeowners face. Even when you have plenty of closets and cabinets, there are often additional odds and ends that don’t really seem to belong anywhere. The resulting clutter can be frustrating, and often results in things like unorganized junk drawers or a desk that becomes something of a cluttered catch-all for things that don’t have anywhere else to go in the house.

Modern shingles have been in use on homes for over 100 years, and it’s no wonder that they have become more or less a default for roofing choices. Shingles tend to be more budget-friendly than some other options such as metal roofing and tile, and they’re also available in a wide range of colors and styles. The main downside to shingles is that they can suffer wear over time or be damaged during inclement weather, necessitating repairs and occasional replacements. While you might not have to replace your shingles right away, the longer you put off these needed repairs then the more likely it is that your roof will develop some problems.

Air filters serve a wide range of purposes in your home. They remove dust and dander from the air, eliminate other allergens, keep some odors under control, and even reduce the wear and tear that your HVAC system experiences throughout the year. Depending on the filters you use, you may even be able to remove some viruses and bacteria from the air to keep the people in your house healthier. With all of the benefits that good air filters provide, the only real downside is that you have to replace them every few months to keep your home’s filtration system filtering at its best.

Gutters play a very important role on your home, and it’s one that not everyone realizes. Sure, they divert water so that you’re not flooded with runoff every time it rains, but that isn’t what makes them so important. Because gutters divert rainwater as it flows down the roof, they also help to prevent that water from seeping into the eaves and causing leaks or other damage. A good set of gutters can improve the life of your roof and home exterior while also adding to the look of your home and keeping the worst of the runoff at bay.

Homeowner’s insurance plays an important role in protecting your home and everything within it. With any luck you’ll never actually need it, but it provides a nice safety net in case the worst comes to pass. But did you know that there are some things that can happen to your home that aren’t covered by homeowner’s insurance?