10 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Winter is in full swing. You can tell by the bare trees, early evenings, and layer of frost each morning. If you haven’t winterized your home yet, there’s still time. Run through these winterization tips to keep your home safe, efficient and warm all winter.

1. Request Maintenance for Your Heating Equipment

Your furnace has been dormant all summer. To make preparations for another heating season, arrange for a visit from a qualified technician to evaluate, clean and tune up the equipment. The most cost-effective way to keep your heating system in good shape through the years is to subscribe to a Maintenance+ membership.

2. Have Your Fireplace Inspected

Get a professional to evaluate and clean your wood-burning stove or fireplace once a year. This service clears away ash, soot and creosote buildup, which can trigger chimney fires. It also gives you peace of mind that the masonry, chimney liner, crown, and other fireplace components are in good condition.

3. Seal Air Leaks

As you start to run your furnace more often, try to find and seal air leaks that allow cold outdoor air to get inside. The best way to notice leaks is to hold a lit candle or incense stick in areas that could be leaky, such as near windows and doors, recessed light fixtures, plumbing penetrations and electrical outlets. Then, seal the leaks you’ve found with weatherstripping, caulk, foam gaskets and expanding spray foam.

4. Use Ceiling Fans in Reverse

Ceiling fans keep you cool over the summer, but they can also circulate warm air down to the living space over the winter. For the best results, set your fans on low and find the switch that lets them spin in reverse. This strategy is best used in stairwells and rooms with tall ceilings.

5. Install Insulating Drapes

Another way to winterize your home is to exchange delicate, summery window coverings for heavy, insulating drapes. Be sure to pull back the drapes during the day so the sun can warm your home for free. Then, close the curtains after dark for additional insulation against the frigid night air.

6. Insulate Your Pipes

As the temperature dips, exposed pipes are at risk of freezing and bursting. Install foam pipe insulation to plumbing in the garage, crawlspace or unfinished basement to keep this from happening. Electric heat tape beneath the insulation gives you an added layer of protection in especially frigid climates.

7. Install Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Sealing up your house, baking more and heating with combustion appliances increases the risk of home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning in the winter. Exercise caution with matches, candles and other open flames, and make sure your smoke alarms are functioning. Then, put in CO detectors on every floor of your home, especially close to sleeping areas. Test your alarms every month and replace the batteries every six months.

8. Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat

Do you still have an old analog thermostat? You can save on heating bills this winter by installing a programmable model. Pre-programmed settings fine-tune the temperature at various times of the day, so you can set it and forget it. A Wi-Fi thermostat is an innovative option that lets you modify the settings remotely by using an internet-enabled device. You also benefit from automatically generated energy reports and maintenance advice.

9. Prevent Ice Dams

Ice dams are ridges of ice that develop along the eaves, blocking melted snow from draining off the roof. Left unaddressed, ice dams can allow water to get under the shingles and damage things in the attic. Use these tips to avoid ice dams this winter:

• • Clean the gutters so water can clear away like it’s supposed to.

• • Ventilate the attic to stop heat buildup that can melt snow from below.

• • Seal attic floor penetrations to stop heated air from rising through the ceiling.

• • Insulate the attic floor to further decrease heat transfer through the ceiling.

• • Seal and insulate ductwork inside the attic.

• • Confirm your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans and the dryer vent lead outside the house, not into the attic.

10. Keep Deicer Close By

Slips and falls are more common in freezing winter weather. Keep your sidewalks and driveway safe to walk on by scattering salt, kitty litter or chemical deicer along the pavement to melt the ice and snow. Don’t forget to read the directions for specific application tips and any potential precautions.

Winterizing Your Home with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing

Many winterization tips relate closely to your home heating, cooling,and plumbing equipment. If you need help winterizing your home, contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We offer affordable furnace maintenance and repair, plumbing support, and other services to prepare your home for cold weather. For more information about our services or to {request|schedule|arrange]] an estimate, please contact your local Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing office today.