Winterizing Your Home: Tips To Keep Your Home Warm And Cut Costs This Winter

As winter closes in on the United States, we have a lot to look forward to. There are holiday parties and family gatherings and delicious holiday foods to enjoy. In the winter, it’s much easier to curl up by the fire with a warm blanket and a good book in order to pass the time on those long, cold nights. But, before you start enjoying your winter too much, you should make sure that your home is ready for winter so that you can avoid costly emergency repair bills if something goes wrong. Here’s your checklist that you can use to help winterize your home and save money while you’re at it. 

Inspect Your HVAC Ducts

Whether they are in your crawlspace or in your attic or basement, you should spend some time inspecting all of your ducts as they go from your HVAC system to the rest of the house. Check for leaks or damage or corrosion on the ducts themselves. If you find any damage or leaks, they will have to be repaired immediately. Are your ducts insulated? If not, then you may want to consider insulating them, especially if you live in a climate with harsh or long winters. This can save you on your heating bills as well. Go outside and inspect your wall vents around the kitchen, bathroom, and dryer. Are they properly closing and opening? Are they leaking or damaged? It may be time to replace them.

Drain/Replace The Water In Your Water Heater

You should drain and inspect your home’s water heater at least once every year and it’s a perfect task to save for early to mid fall because if your water heater is working properly then it will save you on heating costs in the winter. Here is a handy guide from Bob Vila on how to drain the sediment from your water heater properly.

Wrap Your Water Heater In Insulation

While you’re draining your water heater, you might as well check its insulation while you’re at it. Does your water heater have external insulation installed right now? If not, then you may want to install a nice warm water heater blanket on your unit. If you live in a more northern climate, then this is a must as it will save you time and money during the winter months. If your water heater is already insulated, then inspect it at least once a year for signs of wear and tear or damage and replace as necessary. 

Reverse Ceiling Fans

Make sure that your fans are reversed and pushing air down instead of pulling air up. This will help keep the valuable warmer air in the lower parts of your rooms.

Replace HVAC Air Filters In Your Furnace

This should be done at least three to four times a year, but especially before winter comes because you will be spending a lot more time indoors in the winter and you will want your air quality to be at its best. Bad filters can increase pressure on your HVAC system which also contributes to faster wear and tear on your system. 

Blow Out Sprinklers

Make sure that you get your sprinklers blown out before the first hard frost in your area. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that you do it before October 15th each year. 

Replace Curtains

Help trap heat and prevent unnecessary heat loss by swapping your light summer curtains with heavier insulating winter curtains. 

Check Seals On Doors And Windows

You’ll want to make sure that your windows are airtight and keeping moisture and cold air out. You may have to run a bead of calk around your windows if they are worn or drafty around the edges. Check your doors for loose or broken seals and replace as necessary.

Conclusion

If you have any questions regarding your home improvement or HVAC needs, please give us a call at: 1 (800) 234-1903 or email us at [email protected]. If you’d like to place an order for one of our high quality products like soffit vents, roof vents, or chimney caps, then please start your shopping journey by clicking here. At FAMCO, we pride ourselves in providing quality built products manufactured from quality raw materials.