Preparing your home for winter

There are many things which are good ideas to do before the onset of winter each year.

Make sure walls and attics that might be in danger of freezing are sufficiently insulated. This is especially necessary when it comes to water pipes, which should also be insulated whenever they are exposed to air that may drop below freezing.

A large outdoor thermometer that you can see from indoors is a great thing to have during the winter months. That way you don’t have to worry about trusting the weather report or walking outside to “feel” how cold it is.

Ductless air conditioners are often available with heating capability in addition to cooling capability. These can be a great way to reduce your energy bill throughout the year if you currently have a broken or out of date HVAC system.

If you don’t have storm windows, it is often wise to cover the windows with plastic from the inside for extra insulation. Weather-stripping is a great way to prevent cool air infiltration, and caulking can also be used on the boarder of your windows and doors in a pinch. Just be careful with caulk, unless you don’t mind ever opening the window again!

It is also a good idea to have your chimney and flue inspected, even if you don’t plan on using it during the winter. It can be highly dangerous to light a fire in your fireplace if there are obstructions hiding above it. Sometimes, buildup and debris in your chimney can be flammable and start a blaze where you don’t want one to happen, which can be disastrous.

Check the area around your home for tree branches that might fall during a storm. It is often a good idea to have someone inspect and/or remove a suspect branch before winter.

I hope that this article has helped you determine what you need to do to have a safe, warm and cozy winter. Good luck.