4 Ways To Winterize Your Home
The holidays have come and gone, and with them the joy homeowners find in the snow and winter months. After the holidays, many homeowners thoughts turn to getting their homes ready for the long winter ahead, now that the hustle and bustle has slowed to a crawl that leaves them inside trying to stay warm.
One of the best ways to stay warm and cozy in your home when the winter snows start to fly is by winterizing your home against the frigid cold, to begin with. This begins with having your HVAC system or furnace in great working order and ends with checking your chimney, furnace and fireplace for faults that could cause you problems in the middle of a snowstorm. In this article, you can find a few ways to winterize your home and prepare for the cold this winter season.
1. Fix your HVAC system.
Whether you’re in the market for a new furnace or having trouble with your existing HVAC system, it’s best to have everything from the thermostat to the ductwork taken care of before the temperatures start to fall. Taking care of your HVAC system also includes changing your filters, making sure your thermostat is accurate and that nothing is blocking your registers are your HVAC unit on the outside of your home. Your HVAC and furnace should be your number one priority as fall turns into winter, to ensure your family is warm when the temperatures start to plummet as winter really kicks in.
2. Insulate the Attic.
Checking the insulation in your attic is another good way to make sure your home is ready for the winter ahead. Don’t stop with just insulating the attic however, make sure to insulate your water heater, attic floor, your walls, pipes, and basement as well so your home is well-prepared when the cold arrives.
3. Inspect your chimney, damper, and fireplace.
One of the best ways to prepare your house for winter is by inspecting the chimney, fireplace, and damper. Whether you have a gas fireplace or a wood burning fireplace, they can be dangerous if not inspected and operating properly when you light them. Make sure that you not only have someone come to inspect your chimney for cracks and birds nests but to also inspect your fireplace to ensure it’s in great working order. The news is full of tragedies that happened because of faulty chimneys or flues not being opened in the winter months. Take the proper precautions and have your equipment inspected before starting the first fire of the season.
4. Inspect your roof and clean your gutters.
When it comes to winterizing your home, don’t forget to have the roof inspected by a trained professional as the fall turns into winter. If you have any missing shingles or tiles, it’s best to have them replaced before the first snow falls. A weak roof can lead to collapse with heavy snowfalls and missing shingles and tiles can lead to leaks seeping into your attic and home.
Your gutters need to be cleaned as well so that rain water and run off from melted snow will have somewhere to go, instead of pooling on your roof. The water could then leak into your roof, walls, and other areas of your home causing considerable damage. Consider installing gutter guards on your gutters as well to keep debris and other mess from entering and gathering in them.
These are just a few of the ways you can winterize your home before the worst of the winter weather begins. From saving on your heating bill to making sure you and your family are cozy and safe when the snow flies, these things will ensure you survive the winter and your home does as well.