7 Tips to Winterize Your Home
The cold weather in Denver, CO, results in higher energy bills. You need to winterize your home to stay comfortable, increase energy efficiency, reduce heating costs and avoid damage that requires major repairs. Minimize energy bills and keep the cold out and the heat in with this cost-effective home winterization checklist.
Protect Your Pipes
Frozen pipes result in costly repairs when they burst and leave you without running water in the house. Winterize your home by protecting your indoor and outdoor pipes before the coldest weather arrives. Shut off all outdoor faucets.
Another effective way to protect your outdoor pipes is by disconnecting hoses and storing them. Invest in hose bib covers, and place them over the fixtures to prevent freezing pipes. It’s also advisable to cover outdoor pipes using heat cables or heat tape to keep them warm for extra protection.
Flush the Water Heater
Mineral sediments and particles can accumulate over time at the bottom of water heaters, reducing their efficiency. It’s wise to flush out the deposits and particles with the help of an expert to keep your water heater performing optimally. You can also turn your water heater down to save on hot water costs.
Add Attic Insulation
Check your attic to make sure it has enough insulation. Adequate insulation keeps heated air in the rooms below from flowing into the attic. Add an insulated cover over the stairway or attic hatchway for additional protection.
Look out for ceiling penetrations or holes around wires, ducts and pipes. Use an effective foam sealant to seal all air-leaking gaps around doors, hose faucets, siding and windows. It’s advisable to maintain about 15 inches of attic insulation so that you can keep heat inside your house and spend less money on heating costs.
Inspect Your Thermostat
Hire an expert to inspect your thermostat before winter to determine whether it’ll work properly to maintain warm temperatures in cold weather. If your thermostat is old or not working efficiently, or you experience fluctuations in the system, it could be time to replace the thermostat as an effective way of winterizing your home. It would pay to upgrade to a smart or programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats have advanced features like sensors to detect when no one is in the house. They come with a mobile application that allows you to manage your home’s climate even when you’re away. This lets you personalize your home temperatures so that the heating system maintains your desired comfort levels.
Invest in Professional HVAC Tune-Ups
In the winter, you depend on your heating system and water heater to keep your home warm and heat water for showering, laundry and washing dishes. Keep them efficient and in top working condition. It’s best to call an HVAC expert for annual furnace and water heater servicing to prevent unexpected winter breakdowns and save money on energy bills.
Clean Your Chimney and Fireplace
Hire a professional to inspect your chimney and fireplace because snow can quickly melt, drip down and eventually freeze. Freezing and thawing in the winter can damage your chimney, preventing you from enjoying a warm fire on cold winter nights. Hire a professional chimney sweeper to eliminate dirt and any animal nests before using the fireplace to prevent carbon monoxide leaks into your home.
Adjust Your Ceiling Fans
The little switch on the ceiling fan’s side changes the fan rotation’s direction. It adjusts how the fan pushes air around your house. Set your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise. As a result, it’ll help to move warm air near the ceiling down into your living space. Reversing the ceiling fan helps to save a significant percentage of heating costs during winter.
Winter can be very cold in Colorado. Doing these simple tasks to winterize your home can make the cold temperatures bearable. Call our team at Apple Aire Heating & Cooling today for heating maintenance services and more information on how to winterize your home.
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