Warm Up to These Small Projects For Better Home Insulation
Are you feeling a draft, even when you’re nestled on the couch? Even though good home insulation is important every part of the year, chances are you notice its absence much more in the winter months. But before you call in a construction crew to tear down your walls and fix your insulation, try these simple, budget-friendly ways to keep heat inside your home. Weatherproof your doors. If you can feel chilly air coming through the crack between the bottom of your door and your hardwood floors, putting foam or rubber weatherstripping under your doors can stop the cold air from getting into your home and circulating through every room. Even if the crack between your floor and your door is extra large, you can double up on weatherstripping. Plus, it can be easily removed when necessary! Install thick curtains over your windows. If you have drafty windows, invest in some thick curtains. Light curtains are great when the weather is warmer, but a good set of heavy curtains will keep the heat from escaping. For added insulation, you can also find curtains with thermal backs. However, if saving money is more important than aesthetics for you, you can also insulate your windows by blow-drying some plastic wrap onto the windows to fill any holes. Keep up with your HVAC maintenance. Maintaining your HVAC system means changing out filters once a month, cleaning ducts regularly, and watching for leaks in the air duct system. (Some key indicators of leaks are higher energy bills during the summer or dust accumulating more in one room than in others.) You can also maintain your HVAC system by simply moving furniture out of the way of vents so it can disperse heat more equally throughout your home. The cold may be sticking around for a while longer. But with some proper insulation, you won’t have to be reminded of that when you’re indoors, all while saving a pretty penny.
The best thing you can do is brush your pet’s teeth! It should take less than a minute, but it does take a LOT of baby steps if your pet isn’t used to it. There are also types of dry food, dental chews, and even water additives that’ll help protect your pets’ teeth. Try water additives with all-natural solutions to help cut down bacteria that leaves behind tartar; it can majorly improve your pet’s oral health in the long run. Also, while human dentistry recommends professional cleanings twice a year, we recommend bringing your pet in for a cleaning once a year. This can prevent huge dental issues and dental pain that could alter your pet’s quality of life without your realizing it. It can sound like a lot of work, but with just a little bit of quick, extra care, it can change your pets’ life. I can’t wait to meet you and your pets soon! See ya next month, newsletter friends!
Who needs a Valentine’s Day date when you have a furry friend at home? This Feb. 14, show your pooch your love with these frosty strawberry dog treats. Use a heart-shaped silicone mold to make this snack extra festive.
INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup plain yogurt •
1/4 cup frozen strawberries, puréed
DIRECTIONS 1.
Fill each heart in the mold 3/4 full with yogurt.
2.
Freeze the yogurt hearts for 1 hour.
Note: If you don’t have a heart-shaped mold, you can freehand your treats on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze 1 tbsp dollops of yogurt for an hour, then top with 1/2 tbsp of strawberry purée and freeze another hour. 3. When the yogurt is set, add the puréed strawberry on top of each heart to fill the rest of the mold. 4. Freeze for another hour, then share the tasty treats with your dog!
Inspired by SugarTheGoldenRetriever.com
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www.PetersenPetHospital.com
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