Winter聽is in full swing. You can tell by the聽leafless聽trees, early聽nights, and layer of frost聽in the聽morning. If you haven’t winterized your home yet,听you still have time.聽Follow聽these winterization tips to keep your home safe, efficient and warm聽all聽winter.
1.聽Plan for聽Maintenance for Your聽Heating System
Your furnace has been聽unused聽all summer. To聽get it ready聽for another heating season,听schedule聽a visit from a qualified technician to聽evaluate, clean and聽service聽the equipment. The most聽cost-effective聽way to keep your heating system in聽good聽shape聽through the years聽is to聽subscribe to聽a聽Maintenance+ membership.
2. Have Your Fireplace Inspected
Get聽a professional to聽evaluate聽and clean your wood-burning stove or fireplace聽once per year. This service聽clears away聽ash, soot and creosote buildup, which can聽trigger聽chimney fires. It also聽grants聽you peace of mind that the masonry, chimney liner, crown, and other fireplace components are in聽excellent聽condition.
3. Seal Air Leaks
As you聽get ready聽to run your furnace聽in cold weather,听look for聽and seal air leaks that聽enable聽cold outdoor air to get inside. The聽easiest聽way to聽discover聽leaks is to hold a lit candle or incense stick聽all around聽areas that聽could聽be leaky,听like聽near windows and doors, recessed light fixtures, plumbing penetrations and electrical outlets. Then, seal the leaks聽you find聽with weatherstripping, caulk, foam gaskets and expanding spray foam.
4.聽Use聽Ceiling Fans in Reverse
Ceiling fans keep you cool聽during聽the summer, but they can also聽distribute聽warm air down to the living space聽during聽the winter. For聽better聽results, set your fans on low and聽flip the switch to run them聽in reverse. This聽strategy聽is聽most effective in聽stairwells and rooms with聽tall聽ceilings.
5. Install Insulating Drapes
Another聽way to winterize your home is to聽trade out聽delicate, summery window coverings for聽thick, insulating drapes.聽Be sure聽to pull back the drapes during the day so the sun聽continues warming聽your home for free. Then,听close聽the curtains after dark for聽additional聽insulation against the聽cold聽night air.
6. Insulate Your Pipes
As the temperature聽dips, exposed pipes are聽at risk of聽freezing and bursting.聽Put in聽foam pipe insulation to plumbing in the garage, crawlspace or unfinished basement to聽minimize the risk. Electric heat tape聽underneath聽the insulation聽gives you聽an聽additional聽layer of protection in聽particularly聽frigid聽climates.
7. Install Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Sealing up your house, baking more and heating with combustion appliances聽elevates聽the risk of home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning聽during聽the winter.聽Exercise caution聽with matches, candles and other open flames, and make sure your smoke alarms are聽working. Then,听add聽CO detectors on every floor of your home,听particularly聽close to聽sleeping areas. Test your alarms聽every month听补苍诲听replace聽the batteries聽twice a year.
8. Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat
Do you still聽own聽an old analog thermostat? You聽might聽save on heating bills this winter by聽getting聽a programmable model. Pre-programmed settings聽optimize聽the temperature聽throughout聽the day, so you can set it and forget it. A聽Wi-Fi thermostat聽is聽a modern聽option聽where you can聽modify聽the settings remotely聽using聽an internet-enabled device. You also benefit from automatically generated energy reports and maintenance聽recommendations.
9. Prevent Ice Dams
Ice dams are ridges of ice that聽appear聽along the eaves,听stopping聽melted snow from聽melting off聽the roof.聽When ignored, ice dams can allow water to聽flow聽under the shingles and damage聽structures聽in the attic.聽Follow聽these tips to聽deter聽ice dams this winter:
- Clean the gutters so water can聽clear away聽properly.
- Ventilate the attic to聽stop聽heat buildup that can melt snow from聽underneath.
- Seal attic floor penetrations to stop聽warm聽air from rising through the ceiling.
- Insulate the attic floor to further聽reduce聽heat transfer through the ceiling.
- Seal and insulate ductwork聽up in聽the attic.
- Make sure聽your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans and the dryer vent lead聽outside the house, not into the attic.
10. Keep Deicer聽Handy
Slips and falls are聽more聽common in聽icy聽winter weather. Keep your sidewalks and driveway聽safe to walk on聽by聽applying聽salt, kitty litter or chemical deicer聽on聽the pavement to melt the ice and snow.聽Be sure聽to read the directions for聽correct聽application tips and聽recommended聽precautions.
Winterizing Your Home with 黑料社区
Many winterization tips relate聽primarily聽to your home heating, cooling, and plumbing聽equipment. If you need help winterizing your home,听reach out to聽黑料社区. We offer聽quality聽furnace maintenance听补苍诲听repair,听辫濒耻尘产颈苍驳听飞辞谤办, and other services to prepare聽you聽for聽winter weather. For more聽information聽about our services or to聽request聽an estimate, please聽contact聽your local 黑料社区 office today.
