It’s no secret that this winter has been a doozy. Even parts of the country that traditionally enjoy warm weather year-round have been beset by copious snowfall and icy-cold temps. Additionally, as anyone who hails from a colder area can attest, the arrival of March 20th doesn’t necessarily coincide with the arrival of warm weather. Many parts of the country continue to receive cold temps and even snowfall well into May, and if your current locale is among them, you’ll need to continue treating home heating as a priority despite the onset of springtime.

Have Your Furnace Serviced

When faced with cold weather, your furnace is arguably the most important item in your home. In the absence of a working furnace, most homes would be downright unlivable, especially during colder periods. As such, it’s in every homeowner’s best interest to keep their furnace up and running at peak efficiency. However, if you habitually put furnace maintenance on the backburner, you’re placing the safety of your household at risk, adversely impacting the efficiency of your furnace and making your home colder than it needs to be.

To nip furnace issues in the bud, make a point of having the device inspected and serviced at least one per year. Alternatively, depending on the type of furnace you own, inspections and service visits may need to take place on an even more frequent basis. An experienced technician will be able to identify, diagnose and fix a plethora of potential problems before they’re able to become more pressing issues.

Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Windows

A lot of heat can be lost through windows, regardless of whether or not they’re opened or closed. Not only does this facilitate the need for your furnace to work even harder, it also stands to increase your heating costs by a noticeable amount. In the interest of minimizing the amount of indoor air that’s able to escape and the amount of outdoor air that’s able to find its way inside, consider upgrading to energy-efficient windows. Unlike traditional windows, these feature multiple panes, ensuring that they’re well-equipped to seal in heat.

Of course, winter isn’t the only season in which energy-efficient windows will come in handy. Throughout the swelteringly hot summer months, these windows are highly adept at sealing in cool air and preventing warm air from getting into your home. In addition to lessening the burden on your AC, energy-efficient windows can bring about a reduction in home cooling costs. Although they cost a little more than traditional windows, they’ll ultimately wind up saving you money in the long run.

Patch Any Holes in Your Roofing

Proper roofing maintenance should be among the top priorities of every homeowner. An improperly maintained roof can lead to the formation of mold and pave the way for a variety of structural issues. Additionally, it’s no secret that winter weather can do a number on roofing. As such, it’s a good idea to have your roof inspected at the end of winter to gauge how much damage – if any – occurred over the course of the season. Should any holes in your roof or attic insulation be found, you’ll need to have a professional patch them immediately. Fortunately, it’s now easier than ever to find roofers near me.

Block Draughts

As is the case with windows, a fair amount of heat can be lost through doors. While there’s no way around opening and closing doors, there are ways to minimize how much air is able to escape. For starters, you should outfit your main doors with draught blockers. Secondly, placing self-adhesive rubber seals around your doors and windows can prove effective at sealing in warm air. Lastly, make a point of closing the doors to any rooms that aren’t in regular use, as this will prevent heated air from going to waste.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t long for the arrival of spring in the dead of winter. However, as people who reside in colder parts of the country can confirm, the transition from winter weather to spring weather is far from immediate, regardless of the date on the calendar. To keep your home nice and toasty until the return of consistently warm weather, put the measures discussed above to good use.