Is your home ready for winter? Here are some things you should do to make sure your home is prepped for anything the cold weather can dish out.
For starters, make sure your home is properly insulated (you can read about different kinds of building insulation here on wikipedia). Check your attic, walls and basement for adequate insulation. Feel around electrical outlets and switch-plates for cold air. If it's necessary, have a professional add insulation. Also, look around doors and windows for gaps where warm air can escape. Use caulking or weather stripping to take care of any problem areas.
If your home is older, consider having a professional replace the old windows with energy-efficient double-paned windows. Better windows will save you money on your heating bill.
Next, you want to check out your furnace. Keeping a clean furnace filter throughout the winter is essential to maximizing its efficiency. Dirty filters make the furnace work harder and can cause damage. It's also a good idea to have a heating expert check your unit for leaks about once a year.
Here's one that a lot of people forget, turning off the water supply to your outdoor pipes. Water that's left sitting in outdoor pipes through the winter could be disastrous. It only takes one winter blast to freeze and burst a pipe, leaving you with an expensive mess to clean up.
The same is true if you have a lawn sprinkler system. When they're not in use, sprinkler systems leave water in underground pipes, which can freeze and burst. If it gets cold where you live, call a professional to blow that water out, so you don't end up replacing some or all of your sprinkler system.
Finally, make sure to clean those autumn leaves out of your gutters and downspouts. If water collects and freezes up there, it can cause big problems for your roof. So do the smart thing, and protect your home from these cold weather problems. Spending a little time and money now could save you thousands later.
For starters, make sure your home is properly insulated (you can read about different kinds of building insulation here on wikipedia). Check your attic, walls and basement for adequate insulation. Feel around electrical outlets and switch-plates for cold air. If it's necessary, have a professional add insulation. Also, look around doors and windows for gaps where warm air can escape. Use caulking or weather stripping to take care of any problem areas.
If your home is older, consider having a professional replace the old windows with energy-efficient double-paned windows. Better windows will save you money on your heating bill.
Next, you want to check out your furnace. Keeping a clean furnace filter throughout the winter is essential to maximizing its efficiency. Dirty filters make the furnace work harder and can cause damage. It's also a good idea to have a heating expert check your unit for leaks about once a year.
Here's one that a lot of people forget, turning off the water supply to your outdoor pipes. Water that's left sitting in outdoor pipes through the winter could be disastrous. It only takes one winter blast to freeze and burst a pipe, leaving you with an expensive mess to clean up.
The same is true if you have a lawn sprinkler system. When they're not in use, sprinkler systems leave water in underground pipes, which can freeze and burst. If it gets cold where you live, call a professional to blow that water out, so you don't end up replacing some or all of your sprinkler system.
Finally, make sure to clean those autumn leaves out of your gutters and downspouts. If water collects and freezes up there, it can cause big problems for your roof. So do the smart thing, and protect your home from these cold weather problems. Spending a little time and money now could save you thousands later.