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Sparkle (2)
I love the fall season - the colorful leaves, the pumpkin pies, the football games, and the perfect temperatures. What's not to love about fall? Well, I can think of one thing.
With fall comes the approach of winter and the need to prepare my home for cold temperatures and snowy weather. I'm not a fan of housework, but I know if I don't get my home ready, I'll get hit with high energy bills and feel chilly drafts. However, if I winterize my home, I can avoid all this.
By winterizing your home, not only will you save money, but you'll ensure that you are comfortable during the coldest months of the year.
How to Winterize Your House and Stay Warm
Insulate
1. Insulate Your Attic
Since heat rises, it is imperative to have sufficient insulation in your attic. Check this by climbing up into your attic and looking for the floor joists. If they're visible, you need to add insulation. Though this may sound like a weekend-long endeavor, adding attic insulation is a relatively quick and easy home improvement idea. Plus, it will help you save on utility bills and increase your home value.
2. Insulate Your Windows
I used to keep my blinds and curtains closed during the winter to block the cold from creeping in. But then I discovered window insulation film. This film drastically improves the window's R-value, which is a measurement of its insulating ability. I recommend using a 3M window insulator kit because it is effective and easy to install.
3. Insulate Your Outlets and Switch Plates
This may sound like a big job, but you only need to insulate the ones that are leaking. To check for airflow leaks, walk around your home on a cold, chilly night and put your bare hand in front of each outlet and switch plate. If you feel a draft, you'll know that warm air is escaping.
To fix the draft, use caulk, spray foam, or an electrical and switch plate insulation kit. Also, to prevent a draft coming through the plugholes of an outlet, use child-safety outlet covers for a cheap and easy solution.
4. Insulate Your Water Pipes
I like my shower and bath water to be scalding hot. To ensure that it is and to keep an energy-efficient home, I insulate my water pipes. According to the Department of Energy, insulating your water pipes can raise the temperature of your hot water by two to four degrees. This means you can have hot water without using the highest temperature setting. Insulating your hot water pipes also conserves water since you will not have to wait as long for it to heat up.
5. Insulate Your Hot Water Heater
Not only should you insulate your water pipes, but you also need to insulate your hot water heater. The R-value of a hot water heater needs to be at least R-24. But if you do not know your hot water heater's R-value, simply touch it. If it feels warm, it is losing heat and needs more insulation. Insulating with a water heater blanket can save you up to 9% in water-heating costs and is relatively inexpensive to do.
Tend to Your Furnace
6. Change Your Furnace Filter
With a clean filter, your furnace will run more efficiently, which can save you money. While many manufacturers recommend that you change your filter every two to three months, you may need to change it more often if you smoke or have pets. Checking and changing your furnace filter regularly will save you somewhere between 5% and 15% in energy costs.
7. Un-obstruct Intake Vents
If the intake vents that lead to your furnace are covered, your furnace has to work harder. And the harder your furnace works, the more energy it uses. To make things easier on your furnace and to lower your energy bill, make sure that nothing covers the intake vents, such as furniture or drapes.
Get Professional Services
8. Service Your Chimney
Until a few years ago, the only time I ever saw a chimney sweep was in the movie "Mary Poppins." But chimney inspectors really do exist, and are not quite as dirty as they appear in the movies. An annual chimney inspection and cleaning is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association for a good reason: to ensure home fire safety.
When having your chimney serviced, this is also a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarms. Use a house cleaning schedule as a way to remind yourself to perform these lifesaving tasks.
9. Service Your Heating System
Have a licensed professional inspect your heating system
