Every autumn, you begin preparing for the cold months ahead. You take out our snow boots, bring in the firewood, and buy loads of hot cocoa. But what about your house? Is it prepared for the winter? Winterizing your home can lower heating bills and prevent property damage. Here are 5 ways to winterize your home!
5 Ways to Winterize Your Home
1. Check your Chimney: This winter you may be planning to curl up next to the warm fireplace and watch movies. Before bringing in that firewood, get your chimney inspected. Foreign objects (birds, tennis balls, etc.) commonly end up in chimneys.
Buy a protective screen cap for your chimney to keep out foreign objects and rain that can damage fireplace walls. To lower your heating bills, close the chimney damper on the fireplace when it is not in use.
2. Clean your Gutters: To prevent ice dams that back up water and lead to water leakages in the house, clean your gutters. Fallen leaves and other debris can clog gutters and cause leakages. Look for leaks and misaligned pipes when cleaning gutters with a hose.
3. Reverse your fans: During the summer, fans push the hot air upward, leaving you in a cool, comfortable room. For the winter, reverse your fans so hot air is pushed downward. Reversing your fans can warm your house without growing heating bills.
4. Seal your Ducts: Your home’s duct system connects tubes in the walls, floors, and ceilings. It carries heated air to vents in each room. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that ducts that leak heated air can add hundreds of dollars a year to heating and cooling bills. If you’re installing new ducts, make sure it comes with insulation.
5. Stop Leaks: Closing leaks can lower your heating bills and keep insects from crawling around your house. Buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors. Buy caulk or caulk substitutes to close up drafty spots in recessed lighting, electrical outlets, etc. Use weather resistant caulk for the outside of your house.
Need More Winterizing Help?
Unsure if you can winterize your house on your own? Don’t freak out! There are plenty of local professionals who want to help. Use TalkLocal to contact a local professional who can winterize your house, lower your heating bills, and prevent property damage!
Tags: cold weather preparation, winterize
