Easy Steps to Winterize Your Home

While we are thankful for the cooler weather, the winter months bring new tasks for your home. Taking the time to winterize your home will not only help you keep it warm but also save you money. Follow our tips below to winterize your home and enjoy a comfortable and cozy season.

1. Get your heating system inspected. With a quick, routine checkup, you can catch damage before it becomes a problem and keep your system running as efficiently as possible, saving you money down the road. You wouldn’t want your heating system to go down on the coldest day of the year, right?

2. Upgrade to a smart thermostat. Or, at least use a programmable thermostat. You can set it to a lower temperature while you are away and at night. Every degree you lower your thermostat, you’ll save between 1 to 3 percent of your heating bill, according to Popular Mechanics.

3. Check for drafts and increase insulation. A drafty house is uncomfortable and costly. Perform a visual inspection first, looking at common draft-areas both inside and outside of the home. You can then perform a pressurization test, with steps outlined by the Department of Energy:

• Turn off all combustion appliances, shut all windows and exterior doors
• Turn on all exhaust fans that blow air outside
• Light an incense stick and pass it around common draft sites. Wherever the smoke wavers or is sucked out of or blown into the room, there’s a draft.

Then, seal windows and fix drafts with caulking and weather stripping.

4. Insulate your pipes. You will save on your energy bill and prevent your pipes from freezing up during those cold winter nights. Popular Mechanics suggests testing if the pipes are warm to the touch. If so, they need to be properly insulated. Pick up pre-slit pipe foam and secure it around the pipes with duct tape for a quick and easy solution.

5. Clean out your gutters. This will prevent blockages and a buildup of water and ice sitting on your roof, causing damage.

Your Home Maintenance Experts

With a few easy tasks, you can prevent damage, save money, and make your home much more comfortable and efficient this winter. Call [company_name] for seasonal inspections to keep your heating, electrical, and plumbing working at their best. With the cold weather and holiday occasions quickly approaching, the last thing you want is a costly and inconvenient house repair. Prevent the regret with proactive maintenance with [company_name]!