How to Winterize Your Home
Winter is just around the corner and soon the snow will be piling up in the yard, the temperatures will be steadily dipping to freezing, and your fireplace on the inside will be going strong. What you don’t want to forget to make your home cozy and snug this upcoming winter season is winterizing your house. In this article, you’ll find some sound advice for winterizing houses and making sure your family is safe and snug on the inside after the snow begins to fall.
Furnace Check
In the summer months, you want to ensure your home’s air conditioning system operates efficiently and effectively, and in the winter months, you need to know that your furnace is working efficiently and effectively as well. A furnace check is easy to schedule with a reputable HVAC professional and will give you peace of mind in knowing that you’ve done everything you can to keep your family toasty warm over the winter. You should also have your heat pump, and your water heater checked at the same time, just to be on the safe side.
Clockwise Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are everyone’s favorite way to cool down during the sweltering summer months, but did you know that they can help you in the winter as well? Winter is the perfect time to switch your ceiling fans to where they turn clockwise. The fans turning clockwise pushes heat along the ceiling and down to the floor. This is great for staying warm and for the electric bill, as it won’t be as hard to keep the house warm and the furnace won’t have to work as hard. Even better, as long as you already have ceiling fans, this winterizing tip won’t cost you a cent. Winterizing your home can be expensive, so every little bit of money saved helps.
Chimney Inspection
If you have a fireplace you should never light the first fire of the season without first having the chimney inspected and cleaned. Call a chimney sweep to do a complete inspection and clean out any debris or wild animals that might have decided to make your chimney their nest over the summer season, when the fireplace wasn’t in use. It’s also a good idea to have your fireplace inspected to make sure everything is good to go before lighting that first fire of the season as well. Fireplace and chimney fires are one of the number one causes of death in the winter, so be careful when lighting yours and follow all safety precautions.
Programable Thermostat
If you invest in one thing this winter to help winterize your home, purchase a programmable thermostat. This is the perfect way to save energy and not heat your home while you’re not there to enjoy it. It is said that you can save quite a bit of money on your energy bill by just putting one of these thermostats in your house, and everyone wants to save money during the winter when heating bills are through the roof.
Check Windows
If there are drafts in your home that cold air is seeping through, then the above tips aren’t going to do you very much good. However, if you check your windows and doors, then caulk any gaps you see as your home will end up being warm and toasty all winter long. You’ll be happy you winterized your house and your family will thank you.
These are just a few tips to help you winterize your home before the winter storms arrive. Remember, it’s best to get these tasks done before the first snowfall, so you can stay inside and enjoy watching the cold through the window.