Preparing for the Cold:

MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT THIS WINTER

Baby, it’s going to get cold outside! As we settle into winter, here are some tips to keeping warm and cozy in your home.

Keep Cold Air Out

Reducing air leaks in your house can improve home heating efficiency and reduce costs. Windows and doors are typically the culprits with cracks or gaps allowing cold drafts to enter the house. All it takes is some caulk, weather stripping and door sweeps to ensure you seal out the cold and keep warm air in.

Use a bead of caulk to fill visible cracks around windows. For doors, replace or install new weather stripping to fill gaps and ensure a good seal when fully closed. Just measure the length, cut, and adhere where needed. Installing a door sweep is also a good idea as cool air often enters at the bottom of doors.

Help the Heating

Check air vents to ensure they are clean and not obstructed by furniture or other items. It’s also a good time to install new filters and make sure the grates are clean to improve indoor air quality. If you have ceiling fans, reverse them to help circulate the warmer air when your heating system is running.

If you have a fireplace, check the flue and damper to make sure they are clean and in good working order. If you’ve not had your chimney inspected, now is a good time as you want to prevent any potential issues during winter when water, snow and freezing temperatures wreak havoc.

If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, now is a great time to get one installed. Instead of your heating system running while you are away, you can program your schedule which saves you money. These units also provide more consistent temperature and allow your HVAC unit to run more efficiently.

Check the Outside

Remove any tree branches that are too close to the house or may pose a problem. Check insulation in crawl spaces and wrap any pipes that are exposed to the elements. And for safety, make sure all outdoor lighting is working well to prevent any falls in the dark.

Stay warm everyone!

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash