10 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Winter is finally here. You can tell by the leafless trees, early nights, and layer of frost in the morning. If you haven’t winterized your home yet, it isn’t too late. Follow these winterization tips to keep your home safe, efficient and warm all winter.

1. Request Maintenance for Your Heating Equipment

Your furnace has been unused all summer. To prepare it for another heating season, schedule a visit from a qualified technician to examine, clean and service the equipment. The most cost-efficient way to keep your heating system in good shape over time is to sign up for a Maintenance+ membership.

2. Have Your Fireplace Inspected

Call a professional to evaluate and clean your wood-burning stove or fireplace once per year. This service clears away ash, soot and creosote buildup, which can result in chimney fires. It also grants 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, search for and seal air leaks that allow cold outdoor air to get inside. The easiest way to discover leaks is to hold a lit candle or incense stick near areas that could be leaky, including near windows and doors, recessed light fixtures, plumbing penetrations and electrical outlets. Then, seal the leaks up 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 disperse warm air down to the living space in the winter. For best results, set your fans on low and flip the switch to run them in reverse. This strategy is most effective in stairwells and rooms with high ceilings.

5. Install Insulating Drapes

An additional way to winterize your home is to exchange thin, summery window coverings for thick, insulating drapes. Make sure to pull back the drapes during the day so the sun warms your home for free. Then, shut the curtains after dark for additional insulation against the cold night air.

6. Insulate Your Pipes

As the temperature drops, exposed pipes are in danger of freezing and bursting. Put in foam pipe insulation to plumbing in the garage, crawlspace or unfinished basement to prevent this. Electric heat tape underneath the insulation creates an additional layer of protection in very cold 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 over the winter. Be careful with matches, candles and other open flames, and make sure your smoke alarms are functional. Then, add CO detectors on every floor of your home, primarily outside sleeping areas. Test your alarms each month and replace the batteries twice a year.

8. Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat

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

9. Prevent Ice Dams

Ice dams are ridges of ice that develop along the eaves, preventing 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. Try these tips to avoid ice dams this winter:

• Clean the gutters so water can flow properly.
• Ventilate the attic to avoid heat buildup that can melt snow from beneath.
• Seal attic floor penetrations to stop warm air from rising through the ceiling.

• Insulate the attic floor to further reduce heat transfer through the ceiling.
• Seal and insulate ductwork up in the attic.
• Make sure your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans and the dryer vent lead outdoors, not into the attic.

10. Keep Deicer Close By

Slips and falls are particularly common in cold winter weather. Keep your sidewalks and driveway safe to walk on by applying salt, kitty litter or chemical deicer on the pavement to melt the ice and snow. Remember to read the directions for specific application tips and suggested precautions.

Winterizing Your Home with Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning

Many winterization tips relate primarily to your home heating, cooling, and plumbing systems. If you need help winterizing your home, contact Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We offer quality furnace maintenance and repair, plumbing support, and other services to prepare your home for cold weather. For more info about our services or to schedule an estimate, please contact your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office today.