As the cold season approaches, it is wise to take some preventive measures to protect your home through the season. Winterizing your home involves inexpensive tasks, which will make a difference in how comfortable you will be during the chilly months. You can even end up saving a lot on energy bills. If you are a DIY person, you can winterize your home without any professional assistance. Read on to discover how you can winterize your home.
1. Inspect your Furnace.
Call an HVAC professional and have him check your furnace before you turn it on. The HVAC professional will ensure that the furnace is safe and running efficiently. During the furnace inspection, your HVAC professional will check for carbon monoxide, clean or replace air filters, inspect the gas piping, and clean the motor and fan. The inspection process will not cost you much money unless your HVAC professional suggests that you buy a new system. You can also ask him to check other areas so that you can determine whether you need to call home improvement professionals.
2. Trim nearby bushes.
Trim any tree branches that may be hanging near your roof, windows, or driveway. Snow and ice can accumulate around these branches and weigh them down, causing them to break. If the branch breaks, it may damage your roof or any car that is parked in your driveway.
3. Reverse the Ceiling Fans.
Most people do not know that you can use your fan to warm your house during the winter. Your ceiling fan has a switch button that allows you to reverse the direction of the blades. Switch the blades so that they rotate clockwise. This way, they will push the warm air down, and it will circulate throughout your house.
4. A/C. You will probably not use your A/C during the cold season.
As such, you need to protect it so that you can prolong its life. Start by draining all the pipes that come from your A/C to prevent them from freezing. Then vacuum out any water that may be in the drain pan. Lastly, cover the central air unit with plastic A/C cover. The cover will prevent water and snow from reaching the unit, thus preventing it from rusting.
5. Insulation.
Add fiberglass insulation in your attic to boost the energy efficiency in your house. Most attic use around 12 inches of insulation. If you already have insulation and you want to add a new one, ensure that the new insulation does not have a paper backing. The paper-backing will act as a vapor barrier and may cause problems later.
6. Gutters.
A clogged guttr will only lead to the formation of ice dams on your roof, so it is better to take care of home projects before the major renovation. Clogged drains allow water to back up and freeze near the edge of your roof. The ice then prevents melted snow from flowing off the roof. Ensure that you remove all the dead leaves and other debris from your water gutters.Follow these tips, and you will have a comfortable winter.
