As winter approaches, it’s time to start a checklist to begin winterizing your home.
If you’re a first-time homeowner, it may seem daunting, but winterizing your home can save you money on your heating bills and can help prevent damage to your home, an additional savings.
Some home-winterizing projects take only minutes, and most projects can be accomplished in a weekend before the snow flies.
Winterizing your home boosts its energy efficiency, allowing you to stay toasty warm during the winter months while keeping heating costs as low as possible.
Here are some simple tasks to keep your money where it belongs, in your wallet.
Get your furnace inspected. Call a heating, ventilation and cooling specialist to come out and properly inspect your furnace before you flip the switch this winter. A professional knows what to look for and will give you advice on how to keep your furnace operating safely and efficiently. Ask him to check your heating ducts while he’s there to check for leaks. If this is a new house and you haven’t used the furnace yet, it’s even more important to get it inspected. If you need to replace the furnace, there are federal tax credits that may help cover some of the costs.
Optimize your ceiling fans.Many ceiling fans are underutilized in the winter months because people are unaware that they help keep your house warm. By reversing the direction of your fan blades, your fan will recirculate warm air throughout your room.
Stop air leaks. If your home feels drafty, especially around doors and windows, your hard-earned money is flying right out the window – and doorway through unnecessary heat loss. Use a leak detector and find where the drafts are coming from. Window-stripping and caulking won’t take much effort or cost much, but can tighten up your home.
Replace your furnace filter.Changing your furnace filter on a regular basis will improve its air flow and can extend the life of your furnace. Furnace filters are either disposable or reusable. Reusable filters need to be washed each month, but you’ll save money over the life of the filter.
Insulate, insulate, insulate. Most homes, especially older houses, have far too little insulation in the attic, causing most of the home’s heat loss. Your attic needs at least one foot of insulation. If your attic falls short, add another layer.
Check your pipes. Wrapping your pipes not only helps reduce heat loss, but can increase your hot water temperature. This means you won’t have to wait as long to take a shower, the hot water will be delivered faster and helps you conserve water. Most hardware stores have pipe foam that can easily be slid around your pipes. You would simply need to cut them and use duct tape to keep them in place.
Clean your gutters. Prevent ice dams from forming on your roof next spring by cleaning leaves and other debris out of your gutters each fall. When water backs up in a clogged gutter, it can put the water up into your roof, creating a build-up of ice and snow that can seep into your house and cause water damage.
