10 Tips for Winterizing Your Home

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

1. Plan for Maintenance for Your Heating System

Your furnace has been dormant all summer. To prepare it for another heating season, request 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 great shape over the years is to enroll in a Maintenance+ membership.

2. Have Your Fireplace Inspected

Call a professional to inspect and clean your wood-burning stove or fireplace annually. This service removes 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 prepare to run your furnace all winter, search for and seal air leaks that enable cold outdoor air to get inside. The best way to find leaks is to hold a lit candle or incense stick all around areas that could be leaky, such as 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. Run 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 the best results, set your fans on low and flip the switch to run them in reverse. This method is ideal for stairwells and rooms with tall ceilings.

5. Install Insulating Drapes

A different way to winterize your home is to swap out delicate, summery window coverings for thick, insulating drapes. Be sure to pull back the drapes during the day so the sun continues warming 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 under the insulation gives you an added layer of protection in very 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. Be careful with matches, candles and other open flames, and make sure your smoke alarms are functioning. Then, add CO detectors on every floor of your home, especially close to sleeping areas. Test your alarms each month and change the batteries twice yearly.

8. Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat

Do you still use 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 a high-tech option where you can change the settings remotely 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 appear along the eaves, blocking melted snow from melting off the roof. Left unaddressed, ice dams can allow water to flow under the shingles and damage structures in the attic. Try these tips to avoid ice dams this winter:

• Clean the gutters so water can clear away like it should.
• Ventilate the attic to stop heat buildup that can melt snow from underneath.
• Seal attic floor penetrations to stop heated air from rising through the ceiling.

• Insulate the attic floor to further reduce 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 notably common in cold winter weather. Keep your sidewalks and driveway safe to walk on by applying salt, kitty litter or chemical deicer along the pavement to melt the ice and snow. Be sure to read the directions for specific application tips and recommended 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, reach out to Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We offer excellent furnace maintenance and repair, plumbing work, and other services to prepare the house for cold weather. For more information about our services or to arrange an estimate, please contact your local Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning office today.