Staying Warm This Winter: It Starts in the Basement!

When temperatures drop and the snow starts to fall, you may be keeping a much closer eye on your thermostat this winter to stay warm. But did you know? A well-heated home starts in your basement!

That's because warm air rises throughout each level of your home, and when it does, the cold air in your basement takes its place. This "stack effect" means that as much as 50 percent of the air on the first floor of your home is air that came from the basement.

For this reason, it's incredibly important to make sure your basement or crawl space is properly sealed and insulated from the cold. While vented crawl spaces were and still are common, we know today that it is much better to seal them off from the elements. Basement windows, walls, and rim joists should all be properly insulated as well, typically with foam insulation.

Taking these steps will make your home much more comfortable and less drafty during the cold winter months. Even better, insulating and sealing your basement or crawl space will significantly improve your home's heating (and cooling!) efficiency.