Winter is finally here. You can tell by the bare trees, early evenings, and layer of frost each morning. If you haven’t winterized your home yet, there’s still time. Run through these winterization tips to keep your home safe, efficient and warm this winter.
Your furnace has been dormant all summer. To get it ready for another heating season, arrange for a visit from a qualified technician to inspect, clean and tune up the equipment. The most affordable way to keep your heating system in good shape through the years is to sign up for a Maintenance+ membership.
Hire a professional to inspect and clean your wood-burning stove or fireplace once per year. This service removes ash, soot and creosote buildup, which can trigger chimney fires. It also grants you peace of mind that the masonry, chimney liner, crown, and other fireplace components are in good condition.
As you prepare to run your furnace more often, search for and seal air leaks that allow cold outdoor air to get inside. The easiest way to find leaks is to hold a lit candle or incense stick in areas that might be leaky, including near windows and doors, recessed light fixtures, plumbing penetrations and electrical outlets. Then, seal the leaks up with weatherstripping, caulk, foam gaskets and expanding spray foam.
Ceiling fans keep you cool over the summer, but they can also circulate warm air down to the living space during the winter. For better results, set your fans on low and find the switch that lets them spin in reverse. This method is most effective in stairwells and rooms with high ceilings.
Another way to winterize your home is to exchange thin, summery window coverings for thicker, insulating drapes. Remember to pull back the drapes during the day so the sun can warm your home for free. Then, shut the curtains after dark for added insulation against the cold night air.
As the temperature drops, exposed pipes are in danger of freezing and bursting. Add foam pipe insulation to plumbing in the garage, crawlspace or unfinished basement to prevent this. Electric heat tape under the insulation gives you an extra layer of protection in particularly frigid climates.
Sealing up your house, baking more and heating with combustion appliances increases the risk of home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning during the winter. Be careful with matches, candles and other open flames, and make sure your smoke alarms are working. Then, add CO detectors on every floor of your home, primarily near sleeping areas. Test your alarms monthly and swap out the batteries twice a year.
Do you still use an old analog thermostat? You might save on heating bills this winter by installing a programmable model. Pre-programmed settings fine-tune the temperature throughout the day, so you can set it and forget it. A Wi-Fi thermostat is a modern option where you can modify the settings remotely using an internet-enabled device. You also benefit from automatically generated energy reports and maintenance recommendations.
Ice dams are ridges of ice that appear along the eaves, stopping melted snow from draining off the roof. When ignored, ice dams can allow water to reach under the shingles and damage structural elements in the attic. Use these tips to deter ice dams this winter:
Slips and falls are particularly common in icy winter weather. Keep your sidewalks and driveway safe for pedestrians by scattering salt, kitty litter or chemical deicer across the pavement to melt the ice and snow. Remember to read the directions for correct application tips and suggested precautions.
Many winterization tips relate directly to your home heating, cooling,and plumbing utilities. If you need help winterizing your home, reach out to Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. We offer affordable furnace maintenance and repair, plumbing work, and other services to prepare your home for winter weather. For more info about our services or to {request|schedule|arrange]] an estimate, please contact your local Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing office today.
If your business or facility has appliances that run on gas, such as unit heaters in a warehouse or a rooftop unit and it’s been “red tagged" you’re probably frantically looking for answers as to what your options are now. No need to stress the experts at Service Experts Commercial HVAC are... Continue reading
The Department of Energy (DOE) continuously implements rules aimed at reducing energy consumption and pollution in the United States. With the most recent 2023 HVAC regulatory changes now in effect, you might wonder how the new rules impact new air conditioners, energy efficiency and whether... Continue reading
With the celebration of Earth Day a few weeks ago and spring cleaning on the minds of a lot of homeowners, it’s an ideal time to make homes more earth-friendly and energy efficient. The fact is, with only a few small, inexpensive changes, homeowners could be on their way to saving 20% or more on... Continue reading
© 2023 Service Experts, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, and the Service Experts logo and design are registered trademarks of Service Experts LLC and used under license by SE Canada Inc. All Rights Reserved. *Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.
