My husband and I both grew up and went to college in the south.
We were very accustomed to temperatures soaring into the nineties and running the air conditioner just about year round.
Moving to Elgin, Illinois, a few years ago was a big transition. We had never seen snow before. The movies make the winter weather appear almost magical. In reality, it’s a great deal of work and expense. My husband and I needed to invest in heavy boots, hats, gloves, sweaters, snow shovels and ice scrapers. Our first winter in Elgin was especially difficult. No matter how we bundled up and no matter how high we set the thermostat, we were always cold. Stepping outside to shovel snow or scrape ice off the windshield of the car was torture. I decided that if we were going to stay in Elgin, we needed to make some improvements. I did some research online and contacted a local HVAC contractor. I made a list of ways to tighten up the home, elevate comfort and reduce energy costs. Some of the tasks were minor and inexpensive while others were a considerable investment and required professional service. On our own, my husband and I managed to install a fresh layer of insulation in the attic. We weatherstripped doors, caulked around windows and filled in any cracks that we found. We hired HVAC technicians to handle ductwork sealing, furnace maintenance and a thermostat upgrade. We have plans to add ceiling fans to help push heated air downward in the winter and upward in the summer. We are also hoping to replace all of the old windows with thermal paned, Energy Star rated options.