Winter is coming! Before we know it, we will be lighting fires in our fireplaces and bundling up before we head outdoors. Although winter is a common time for household troubles, you can prevent common occurrences by winterizing your home now.
Deal with your windows: Now is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows. But if you don’t have storm windows, and your windows are leaky or drafty, you may need to be update to a more efficient window.
Of course, windows are pricey. Budget to replace as many as you can to take advantage of the tax credits that expire December 31st.
Keep reading for more tips…
Clean your gutters: When the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your gutters. Clogged drains can form ice dams causing water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house. This was one of the biggest problems faced by homeowners last winter during the big snow storms. It is also important to make sure that downspouts are carrying water away from the house’s foundation. Otherwise it could cause flooding or other water damage.
Block the leaks: The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall. Isn’t that crazy? Unfortunately, they are not all big leaks and it takes some detective work to find them. The most common areas are recessed lighting, window and door frames and electrical outlets.
Once you have found the leaks, buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors and caulk and caulk around windows. Outside, you will want to seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. Sealing off these spaces also discourages any insects from entering your home.
Insulate: Another thing that will cost a little money is adding insulation in the attic. In our climate, it is important to have at least and R-value of 38 in your attic. This will help to keep the warm air in your home from creeping into the attic in the winter, leaving you cold.
Check your furnace: First, you will want to turn your furnace on now to make sure it’s working. Many people forget to do this and wind up being left shivering when the cold weather descends and demand for quality HVAC contractors increases. A strong, odd, short-lasting smell is natural when firing up the furnace in the autumn; simply open windows to dissipate it. If the smell lasts a long time, shut down the furnace and call a professional.
Throughout the winter you should change the furnace filters regularly (check them monthly). A dirty filter impedes air flow, reduces efficiency and could even cause a fire in an extreme case. Toss out the dirty fiberglass filters; reusable electrostatic or electronic filters can be washed.
Reverse your ceiling fans: Reversing your ceiling fan is a small tip that people don’t often think of. By reversing its direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to re-circulate, keeping you more comfortable. When you look up, the fan blades should be turning clockwise.
Wrap your pipes: A burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before it happens: Before freezing nights hit, make certain that the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve), and that the lines are drained.
Next, go looking for other pipes that aren’t insulated, or that pass through unheated spaces — pipes that run through crawlspaces, basements or garages. Wrap them with pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores.
Check alarms: This is a great time to check the operation (and change the batteries) on your home’s smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years, fire officials say. Test them (older ones in particular) with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the “test” button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and still works.
Also, go ahead and invest in a carbon-monoxide detector; every home should have at least one.
Taking care of these items will get you well on your way to a winterized home.
