{"id":12538,"date":"2019-09-30T16:32:23","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T23:32:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=12538"},"modified":"2026-04-14T01:51:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T08:51:19","slug":"best-winter-home-improvement-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/best-winter-home-improvement-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the Best Winter Home Improvement Projects to Tackle Despite the Cold"},"content":{"rendered":"

When temperatures drop, there\u2019s nothing cozier than curling up inside with hot cocoa. Plus, between the holidays and winter<\/a> sports, who has the energy to break out the toolbox and check off that household to-do list?<\/p>\n

Well, give it a look, because the winter months turn out to be ideal for certain home improvement<\/a> and maintenance projects\u2014and if you\u2019re planning for a spring or summer home sale, it\u2019s never too early to get started with your home prep<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to HomeLight\u2019s Top Agent Insights Survey for Q3 2019, 91% of agents believe builders and contractors are busiest in spring and summer, while less than 8% say these professionals are busiest in the winter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Plus, 67% of top agents say that building materials and labor for home renovations<\/a> are the cheapest between October and March. All of this adds up to doing certain projects during the \u201coffseason\u201d because they genuinely cost less. Other upgrades are just a smart way to pass the time while you\u2019re stuck indoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou spend about 40% more time in the house in the winter than you do in the summer. So you might as well use it,\u201d said Nick Pontarelli<\/a>, a top-selling Chicago real estate agent, having sold over 70% more properties than the average agent in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Upgrading Your Home? First, See How Much It's Worth<\/h3>\n

It’s helpful to have an idea of how much your home is worth before embarking on a project. Enter your address and answer a few questions about your home, and we’ll provide a preliminary estimate in under two minutes.<\/p>\n \n

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Here are our picks for the best winter home improvement projects that take advantage of potential savings and provide that fresh feeling buyers seek in a home on the market once spring and summer arrive.<\/p>\n

Winter home maintenance: health, safety, and savings<\/h2>\n

1. Seal up cracks around the house<\/h3>\n

Think of your home\u2019s outer walls, windows, doors, vents, and other openings as an envelope, advises the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Air seeps in and out of this envelope<\/a> constantly. Sealing leaks and adding insulation can save homeowners an average of 15 percent on heating and cooling costs<\/a>, or an average of 11% on total energy costs.<\/p>\n

Sealing leaks alone around windows and doors, through the foundation, and in the attic can reduce this airflow by about 25%<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Saving on energy bills keeps more cash in your pocket and appeals to eco-friendly buyers<\/a>. Millennials, or those born between 1980 and 1998, now comprise about 37% of home buyers<\/a>, and their preference for green home features<\/a> has impacted the construction industry. Companies who complete green-certified building with over 60% of their business was predicted to top 37% percent worldwide in 2018.<\/a><\/p>\n

A home energy auditor<\/a> can examine your home\u2019s energy use room-by-room to see how much gas and electricity your house uses and identify ways to make it more efficient, starting by tackling leaks. The average cost of such an audit is $403<\/a>, or about 8 cents to 50 cents per square foot, according to Home Advisor.<\/p>\n

But you can do your own mini audit starting with these videos and tips<\/a> from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California.<\/p>\n

Beyond feeling a draft, an easy way to see if your home has air leaks is to turn on the lights, step outside after dusk, and look for any gaps around windows and doors, Pontarelli said.<\/p>\n

His clients have sealed such cracks with insulating spray foam, such as Loctite Tite Foam Window Door<\/a> ($7.68), which seals out drafts and moisture, cures to a bright white color, and is less messy than caulk.<\/p>\n

2. Insulate the attic, ducts, and foundation<\/h3>\n

If you live in a colder climate, you may have done this already, but if your attic isn\u2019t insulated, you\u2019re guaranteed to lose air and heat.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends air sealing any areas of your home that need it<\/a> before tackling insulation. An insulation contractor<\/a> can determine how much and what type of insulating material your home needs, but in general, the higher the \u201cR-value<\/a>,\u201d or thermal resistance, the more effective the insulation is. If your attic has an equivalent of R-30<\/a>, your home could likely benefit by adding more.<\/p>\n

Check out this diagram<\/a> from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for examples of where to insulate your home, from the attic to ducts and the foundation.<\/p>\n

3. Maintain your heating system<\/h3>\n

Your heating system definitely deserves some TLC<\/a> during the winter. Keep an eye on the water levels in your boiler<\/a> to make sure they don\u2019t fall too low, and check and change the heating system filters.<\/p>\n

Most HVAC and furnace filters need to be changed at least every three months, according to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Change them as often as once a month<\/a> if:<\/p>\n