Not that long ago, the streets swarmed with eager trick-or-treaters, some sweet in princess or pirate costumes, others hell-bent on scaring their peers with monster masks or faux-bloody bodies. But while October may bring out the fright in some, November may usher in a whole new kind of scary for homeowners: the pre-winter chill.
Whether you’ve forgotten last year’s frosty winter thanks to a relatively mild fall or have been following the Farmer’s Almanac’s grave predictions, there is a way to keep the season’s chill out of your home – all you need to do is act now.
At Malcarne Contracting, our primary goal this time of year is to help our customers get their homes ready for winter now, especially in light of the bitter conditions the last one brought to the northeast. During last January and February, for instance, fuel prices for both oil and natural gas skyrocketed, leaving many homeowners in the cold until spring set in. Cutting your energy costs now is the key to keeping your expenses as low as possible when it seems like the mercury refuses to rise.
So how do you fight Mother Nature’s worst? By preparing for it now! It’s not as difficult – or even as costly – as you may think. First of all, if you have the opportunity to change your heat to natural gas, do it. Natural gas will cost significantly less and it could reduce your heating costs by up to 50 percent. While it won’t make your house feel any warmer, switching to natural gas will heat up your wallet with the cash you’ll save on energy bills.
To really turn up the heat in your house without touching a thermostat, air sealing is the best way to keep your warmth – and dollars – from literally flying out the window. Malcarne Contracting experts fill in any gaps, cracks and holes in your house; insulate your attic and basement, two areas where air tends to escape the quickest, and therefore leaves your home feeling colder than it should; and put in weather-stripping around doorways or windows. They’re simple little tweaks and changes, yes, but they mean the difference between enjoying watching those snowflakes fall outside and feeling like you’re in the middle of the blizzard.
So what’s scarier: The fact that this winter’s predicted to be worse than last year’s, or that now there are fewer than 54 shopping days until Christmas? At least with the former, by calling Malcarne Contracting now, you can have a simple solution: your home’s temperature – and your energy bill – consistent and comfortable and ready to handle the weather well before the holiday season really sets in.