Winterizing Ideas
It’s that time of the year again, when we need to prepare our homes for the colder weather. There are many ways to make sure your home is safe and comfortable all fall and winter long. Winter can be harsh, but with the right preparation you won’t have to worry about staying warm and prepared this season.
Winterizing Ideas
You can work with a professional to check off some of these tasks, while others can be completed on your own.
Furnace maintenance – It is crucial to keep your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditiong) system in top condition throughout the year. It is recommend that home owners schedule professional HVAC tune-ups once in the spring before summer, and once in the fall before winter. It is better to be proactive in finding any potential issues. Inspections are important for energy savings, system safety, indoor air quality, and winter comfort.
Reversing your ceiling fans – You can use your ceiling fans to assist in keeping your home warm in the winter by revering the direction of the blades. In the winter the blades should rotate clockwise, pushing the warm air down and recirculating it throughout the room. Alongside your heater, your home will stay toasty all winter long.
Change the furnace filter regularly – When you are using the furnace more often, the filter needs to be changed more often to accommodate the increased use. Disposable filters will need to be changed every 30-60 days (inspect them every month).
Check smoke & carbon monoxide detectors – Winter is the peak season for home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Holiday cooking, yule logs, lighting equipment and running heating systems all increase the likelihood. Check the batteries in your smoke and CO alarms and change them if needed.
Inspect and clean your chimney – Hire someone for a certified fireplace and chimney inspection and cleaning before the winter hits. Having your chimney inspected and cleaned is important for safety. An inspection will determine if there has been any creosote buildup, or perhaps an animal nest dwelling there through the off-seasons.
Insulate and weather-strip – Your attic may need additional insulation and your windows may need to be weather-stripped in order to make it through the winter with the greatest energy-efficiency. Weather-stripping your doors and windows will keep the cold air out and reduce your power bills. You can also block the cold by caulking around your windows and installing door sweeps.
Upgrade to a programmable thermostat – A programmable thermostat allows you to customize your comfort level, both when you are home and when you are away. Many thermostats even have technology that links your phone, giving you complete control over how warm your home will stay all winter.
Close your swimming pool - As swim season comes to an end, it’s time to winterize your pool. Clean out leaves and debris, remove equipment (such as the floating chlorinator), and adjust your filter’s timer to run less often.
Adjust your irrigation timer - To prevent water waste, change the settings on your irrigation timer before winter. It’s not always wise to turn off the water completely—after all, it’s uncertain how much rainfall will actually occur. A good solution is to add rain sensors to your irrigation system, which prompt the timer to delay following rain.
Keep in mind that freezing temperatures, while not the norm, can be a concern in some areas. To avoid damage to irrigation pipes, stay informed of weather forecasts and take preventative measures when a freeze is expected.
These are just a few helpful ideas to winterize your home. As always, when you take excellent care of your home, your home, in turn, takes care of you.
"We shape our dwellings, and afterwards, our dwellings shape us." - Winston Churchill
