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Whether winter is just around the corner or you are right in the middle of it, there are plenty of things that you can do to keep your home safe and warm, even on the coldest and snowiest days. Some of our favorite trends in winter weather home renovation include everything from projects that save energy, lower your bills and reduce the risk of damage to your home due to snow and ice. All these winterizing home improvements also increase the value of your home, so you enjoy the benefits now and down the road when you sell.

Here are 3 winter weather home renovations that we recommend:

1. Lights and Bulbs

If you haven’t already switched out your incandescent light bulbs for the more energy-efficient LED lights, then now is a wonderful time to do so. Incandescent bulbs use up much more energy than LED bulbs, plus CFLs contain toxic mercury. You can swap out traditional bulbs for the LED kind, and reduce the amount of energy you use to light up all your rooms as the days get shorter throughout the winter. Don’t forget exterior lighting in your top-to-bottom renovation. It’s easy to see why LED lights are a much better alternative for lighting your home once you get your reduced utility bill.

2. Insulation

Projects that increase the energy efficiency in your home are especially important if you live in a cold climate, but adding or upgrading your insulation not only makes things warmer and cozier, but helps keep your home cooler in the summer as well. If the insulation in your home is not sufficient, you can add to it and boost efficiency all year long. If the insulation doesn’t seem to be working as well as it once did, or you are in an older home, you may want to replace it completely to a better and more modern material. This is the type of project that can be overwhelming for an inexperienced DIY home owner, so make sure you know what you are doing or call a professional.

3. Snow and Ice Melting Cables

The roof, gutters, drainpipes and more can really suffer if you live in an area with harsh winters. That’s because the buildup of ice and snow can cause plenty structural damage. Fortunately, there are a number of ice melting solutions that you can do to prepare your home. Snow melting systems, which are comprised of heating cables and controllers, can be easily installed on the eaves of the roof and along roof gutters. These de-icing systems range are easy to install, flexible, and can often be set to automatically operate. The result is that your roof and gutters will remain free of snow and ice, and you’ll reduce the risk of damage to your home.

Winterizing your home is a task that will repay you over the years with comfort, peace of mind and lower utility bills. In no time, your winter weather home renovations will pay for themselves. Putting in these winter-busting upgrades into the house will also boost the resale value if and when you decide to sell your home.

If you are interested in becoming more familiar with Park City please call Jensen and Company at (435)901-8333 for information on local real estate.