Getting Your House Ready for Winter
Did you know that the average American household spends $1,900 annually on energy bills? With the price of heating oil already on the rise you can bet that this year’s heating bills will hurt the monthly budget. The best way to save a few bucks each month — even if you don’t use oil/gas to heat your house — is to prepare your home for the harsh winter ahead. These general tips will help you battle your way through the winter without breaking the bank.
Have your furnace serviced
Each year before you operate your furnace (heater) you should have it serviced. The best way to do this is to either contact a local HVAC company or sometimes your city’s utility commission will offer a service contract. A good tip is to have your furnace serviced before you actually need it. If you wait until it is freezing outside there is a good chance that you will have to wait for a while as all of the contractors will be busy with other people who waited until the last minute (don’t be surprised if you are put on a two or three week waiting list).
- Change your filter monthly, or as needed.
- With gas furnaces, make sure that the vent pipe is free of clogs and debris.
- Older furnaces may have belts that need to be checked and/or bearings that need to be oiled
- If you have a heat pump with backup electric heat, try to find a reasonable temperature that does not require the use of electric heat. Your electric bill will thank you.
Thermostat
Keep your thermostat set to around 68 degrees when you are home. When you are away from the house, it is recommended that you set the thermostat to 55 degrees, but I like to set it to a more reasonable 60 degrees. I would highly recommend investing in a programmable thermostat that you can set to automatically adjust the temperature for you. It’s like cruise control for your heating and air conditioning.
Seal air leaks
The most common place for air leaks is around doors and windows. There are several ways to solve this problem, some cheaper than others.
- Add storm windows (remove window screens if needed)
- If you have old windows, consider covering them with plastic
- Add weather stripping around doors and/or windows
- If you have an attic fan (whole house fan) make sure to cover/insulate it
- If you have window units, make sure that no air leaks in around them
Some other common places that air leaks are found is along the exterior of your home. For example, look for holes where wires or pipes go into the house. As a rule of thumb (no pun intended) if you find a hole that you can stick your pinky finger into…it needs to be filled. There are several different things that you can use to fill holes and stop air leaks. The most common include caulk, silicone, and expanding foam. For large holes you can use loose pieces of insulation or foam board. If you have a crawl space under your house, make sure that the vents are closed (you may consider leaving a couple of them cracked open, just to help ventilate under your house).
NOTE
No matter what you are told, DO NOT cover or block your attic ventilation. This includes gable vents (the vents that are on either end of the house) and “whirley birds” (the spinning things on the roof that you always see people covering up with trashbags during the winter…ok, maybe that’s just done here?). Proper attic ventilation is just as important during winter as it is during summer. Without proper ventilation moisture will build up and seep into your ceiling and walls causing mold and mildew.
Clean fireplaces, sweep chimneys
If you have a fireplace, it is very important that you keep it clean and get your chimney swept before winter — and possibly once or twice during winter, depending on how often you use it. It is also a good idea to keep the flue closed when not using your fireplace. Using glass doors on your fireplace is a good way to hold in the heat.
Roof and gutters
One (or shall I say two) things that are often overlooked are your roof and gutters. You should check your roof for damaged or missing shingles, sagging areas that may hold water, and debris that may build up in the “valleys” of your roof. It is very important for you to clean your gutters before winter especially if you get a lot of ice and snow. If you have debris clogging your gutters then water will eventually run under the eaves of your roof and onto your ceilings and walls.
Water pipes and water heater
Make sure that any pipes under your house (in a crawl space) or exposed to the elements are insulated well. When water freezes it expands. Expanding water = busted pipes. But we all knew that…right?
Another good idea is to turn down the temperature on your hot water heater. It will also help if you wrap your hot water heater with an insulating blanket that can be purchased at any hardware store.
Get outside and do it!
With a weekend of work and a few bucks, you can prepare yourself (and your house) for the upcoming winter months. Hopefully this list of ideas has inspired you. It will at least save you some money this winter. Now you just need to stop reading and start working :)
Please feel free to conact me if you have any more ideas to prepare for cold weather!
