Michigan-Centric: What Your Home Needs in the Mitten State

Written by Posted On Thursday, 30 May 2019 12:19

Michigan is a beautiful state to live in; the state reminds you of the magic tucked away in nature. This is one reason people love living here, but homeowners need to make sure their homes are Michigan-ready. The following are a few things your home should have.

 

Good Insulation

 

There is a lot that can be said about Michigan and one of those things is it can get pretty cold in the winter. A good Michigan home needs good insulation in the walls and attic. Making sure your home stays warm with the help of your furnace or AC depends a lot on insulation. Heat escapes, usually traveling upward towards your attic. Not having enough insulation means it is going to be harder to warm up your home.

 

Natural Roof Ventilation

 

The next thing you want to worry about is roof ventilation. This may seem a little strange, especially after reading about how important it is to trap air inside your house, but having hot air in the space between your attic floor and roof is not good.

 

It can heat up snow quickly and freeze it at night as the temperature drops. The reason you do not want this is because you could create ice dams, and those can diminish your roof's longevity and could cause leaks. Installing a natural ventilation system should help, and a roofer can do that for you.

 

Earth-friendly Power

 

Michigan prides itself as being a state that promotes the well-being of the earth. This is the reason the state put trails throughout the state and why many people are replacing their energy source to solar powered electricity.

 

Now, you need to have your home energy usage evaluated to see how much power you need. Questions, such as how big is a solar panel will be answered after you evaluate your needs. The average size is 5.4 feet by 3.25 feet, but they could be slightly bigger if you need more power for your home.

 

Good Vapor Barriers

 

Okay, you know all about heat and the way it escapes your home. You are doing something about your attic and roof, but what about your walls? Letting too much heat escape can create condensation, which is a major issue during the winter because it could cause your paint to peel.

 

What you want to do is add a good vapor barrier around your home to help prevent this problem. These barriers could be added to your crawl space and between your walls. You want to stick to something like a six-mil polyethylene vapor barrier, but you can talk to your home inspector about what your home might need.

 

Pipe Insulation at Home

 

The temperature can drop severely in Michigan at times, so you are going to need to install some pipe insulators throughout your home. Your handyperson or plumber should help you install these pipes to help protect your plumbing system.

 

You are taking this step because the water within the pipes can actually freeze if the temperature drops too low. Frozen water not only clogs up your system but can also lead to burst pipes or leaks. Both of these problems can cost you a significant amount of money, so it is better for you to be safe than sorry.

 

These are just some of the things your home in Michigan needs. There may be other things to consider, so talk to your home inspector to help you figure that out. Once you are done with all the basic needs, you can move on to something a little more fun, like personalizing your home.

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