Cold weather, ice, and snow can all do damage to an unprepared house and drive up heating costs. There are ways you can get your home ready for the winter, avoid damage, and keep bills lower.
Start Outside
-
Clean Out Your Gutters
Clean out your gutters before the first winter snowfall. When gutters have a build-up of leaves and debris, melted snow will not be able to drain off the roof properly and can refreeze and create an ice dam. The ice dam can keep excess snow and water on the roof to cause cracks and leaking.
-
Check the Attic
Check your attic to make sure it’s insulated properly. One of the best ways to save money and keep your home warm is add more insulation between walls, the attic floor, and your basement ceiling. Keep the cold air out and your heat in.
-
Walk Around Outside
Walk around the outside of your home and check for any problems that could be made worse by cold weather or heavy snow, like structural issues. Also look at surrounding trees for rot or branches that could come down with the weight of snow or ice, and get these things taken care of before winter weather sets in.
Think about what areas may need deicing after a snowstorm. Keep some sand or de-icing materials handy for walkways, steps, and driveways to make it less dangerous for your family when the time comes.
Inside Your Home
-
Switch Fan Rotation
One of the most simple fixes to save some money and keep heating bills in check, is to run your ceiling fans in reverse. There is usually a switch on the fans so that you can make them run clockwise, which pulls warm air down away from the ceiling.
-
Change Filters
Clean or change your air filters every month. They can trap extra dust and debris with the heat running all the time. When airflow is restricted, energy demands increase.
-
Check Chimney
Make sure your chimney and fireplace are maintained. Obstructions and debris from animals can cause decreased heating efficiency or smoke and fire in your home.
-
Flush Water Heater
Perform some routine maintenance on your water heater by flushing it out to remove any sediment that has built up. This will help it run better and more efficiently. Most water heaters are set to 140 degrees fahrenheit, so turn it down to 120 degrees to reduce water heating costs.
-
Insulate Pipes
Insulating water pipes is another good way to winterize your home. You can decrease the chance of pipes freezing and bursting, and save money on hot water by insulating pipes. Pre-slit foam and insulating tape are available at hardware stores and are easy to use.
-
Check For Drafts
Check out your doors and windows. Installing storm doors and windows are an excellent way to keep heat in, however, window insulation kits are available at hardware store and are easy to install instead.
Search for drafts around your home and seal them. Gaps in doors and windows, or holes and crevices where different building materials come together can be sources of heat escaping. Use caulking or weather stripping to seal these gaps and stop cold air from coming in.
Taking the extra time to winterize your home can save your home from damage during the colder months, along with saving you money. Keep your family safe and warm this winter.
| google+ |
AMAZON: tube pipe insulation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
home remodeling reference (links to internal page)
 |
 |
 |
 |
| directory | photos | forms | guide |
Helpful article? Leave us a quick comment below.
And please share this article within your social networks.
