Here are five ways to prep your house for winter:
1. Insulate your hot water heater. For a lot of homes, the hot water heater is one of the biggest energy users in the house. This is especially true if your heater is located in a non-insulated room like the garage. Just think how much harder your heater has to work to deliver those piping hot showers if it’s sitting in a 30 degree room! Consider adding an insulating blanket over your heater to maximize its efficiency this winter. For more ways to save energy and money, read: Inspect and Maintain Your Water Heater.
2. Bundle up your attic and crawlspaces. Gaps and holes in your insulation are similar to having gaps and holes in your coat. They kind of defeat the purpose. By repairing your insulation, you can save more than 20 percent on your utility bills this winter. To learn how, read: Inspect and Repair Your Insulation.
3. Protect your pipes. When water freezes, it expands. If it’s inside a pipe when it expands, the water breaks the pipe and leaves you with a gargantuan repair bill. To prevent this, shut down your sprinkler system, unscrew the hose from the faucet and cover your outdoor faucets with insulation covers. To protect your indoor pipes, be sure to never set your thermostat below 55 degrees F (even if you’re going out of town for an extended period of time). Leaving the sink cabinet doors open and a slow dripping faucet when it gets below freezing might be a smart idea.
4. Schedule a checkup for your furnace. We’re entering the prime furnace-usage season, so if there’s a problem, you want to take care of it now, not when it’s 10 degrees outside. Schedule a routine checkup for your furnace to make sure everything is working well.
No comments:
Post a Comment