How to Winterize Your Home – While It’s Still Warm
If you are a new homeowner, you may have no idea what steps you should take to protect yourself and your home from the winter. This season in Washington can be harsh – for not only your health, but also the property. With summer daylight hours waning, and the crisp breezes hinting at the winter to come, don’t wait until the first cold snap to winterize your home.
Following are some tips to help you deal with the harshness of the weather. You will be able to even enjoy the snow when the winter is in full swing:
Windows and doors
If you have bought an existing home, you should determine if the windows and doors are in good condition. Old windows may have ineffective warm weather screens. Replace them with storm windows. You can also cover the screens with an extra layer of plastic as it will work as insulation. You can buy transparent plastic screens, so great views that your windows offer are not obstructed.
You can protect your home from the cold by making doors and windows airtight. You can install weatherstripping to prevent heat seeping out from doors and windows during the winter season. The idea is to ensure that your heat remains in the rooms you use most during the winter. You can also replace old door snakes with new ones.
Heaters, chimney and furnace
If you don’t know your way around heaters, contact your heat provider for advice on energy-efficient heating. It will not only keep your power bill in check, but also ensure that your heaters are working efficiently to provide you with much-needed warmth. Also, flush your water or oil heater to remove traces of sediment if there are any.
The same goes true for chimneys and furnaces. Make sure your furnace filters are clean, and enlist a chimney cleaning service if you use a fireplace.
Take care of exterior features
While you will like to stay indoors to feel warm in the winter, you should ensure that the exterior parts of your home are also protected.
Drying your clothes is going to be a major challenge during this season, so make sure your dryer vent and hose are both clear of obstructions for airflow and free of lint.
Also check that all water pipes are working property and there are no leakages. You should remove the garden hose from the spigot and drain it. Turn off the water supply to your outdoor spigot and open it to drain remaining water from the pipes leading outside. It will take care of the problems that may arise out of water getting frozen in pipes.
Remove leaves and other debris from your gutters.
Last but not the least, you should ensure that snow removal equipment are working properly. Check for any faults with your snow blower or salt spreader. Set up a salt bucket and shovel near your front door or in your garage so that they’re accessible when you get your first significant snowfall.