Tips for Winterizing Your House

Summer and fall weather are officially behind us, which means it’s time to start preparing for the cold weather ahead. If you live in a region that experiences colder temperatures and snowfall, it’s important to take cautionary measures to ensure that your home is ready for the winter months.

Here are some tips for preparing your home for winter weather:

Caulk around your windows. Reduce air leakage and drafts affordably by applying caulk to cracks and gaps in your windows.

Apply weatherstripping around your doors. Prevent air leaks and keep energy costs down by sealing the cracks around your doors with weatherstripping.

Install storm windows and doors. Replace your screens with storm windows that can withstand the pressure of strong winter winds and other elements.

Flush your water heater tank. It’s important that you flush the tank to clear the sediment that accumulates at the bottom to prevent difficulties for your water heating system.

Replace filters in your furnace. Make sure that your furnace filter is clean to run efficiently and prevent pollutants from entering your home. Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace before winter weather intrudes your home.

Prepare your fireplace for winter. Have your chimney inspected for debris that may present a fire hazard and clear your firebox of excess ashes.

Winterize your central air conditioner. Safeguard against snow and ice by rinsing your outdoor air conditioner of any dirt, twigs, leaves and dust that may have entered. Cover it with a protective waterproof cover.

Reverse your ceiling fan direction. Adjusting your ceiling fan to low speed and the clockwise setting will pull cool air upward and force warm air down.

Winterize your generator. Prepare your standby generator for the winter months to ensure that you have a reliable emergency backup in case your utility power goes out.