Easy Ways to Winterize Your Home
You can protect your home through the chilly months by taking just a few quick and easy preventative measures. Winterizing can not only make your home more comfortable, it could also end up saving you money on energy bills. Here are some easy ways to winterize your home.
Heating
A great heating system in your home can make the difference between having a warm and comfortable winter or being in a cold house with expensive heating bills.
Insulate. Make sure all of the important places (attics, basement, exterior walls, crawlspace, etc.) are properly insulated with quality material.
Replace filters and clean vents. A clean filter means easier airflow and greater efficiency. Same idea goes for the vents (clean them out).
Get a smart thermostat. Your next eco-purchase should be a high-tech thermostat that knows when to turn up and down, ultimately saving energy.
Change your fan to go clockwise. Most fans spin counterclockwise, but many have a setting to make them rotate clockwise instead. Doing this creates an updraft that circulates heat better than it does going counterclockwise.
Windows/Doors
Though there are many places in the home where heat can escape and cold air can enter, windows and doors are two of the biggest culprits.
Install storm doors and windows. Take off your summer screens and replace them with the glass panes. This gives you another layer of protection from freezing temps and cold winter winds.
Draft guard your door. Examine doors and windows for gaps where warm air can escape. Caulk or apply weather-stripping around problem draft areas. Buy a draft guard for exterior doors or use a rolled up towel at the bottom of the door.
Water
As you ready your house for the colder months ahead, don’t forget about your water system. When water freezes, it expands. Take the following precautions now to avoid a major headache later.
Clean your gutters. Leaves and debris quickly clog up your gutter, making it hard for precipitation to flow through them. Once most of the leaves are down, do one last cleaning. This will keep rain and melted snow from building up and also prevent huge icicles from forming.
Wrap your pipes. Pipes that freeze and burst can do a lot of damage. It’ll also help you out energy-wise because warm pipes mean that your water heater won’t have to work as hard to get hot water through to you.
Flush out the water heater. To keep your water heater as efficient as possible, take the time to flush the water through the drain valve. Sediment and other tiny materials can settle in the bottom over time and need to be cleared out every so often.
Click HERE to print a check list of the above winterizing tips so you can stay warm and cozy this winter!
