So you've pulled your sweaters out of the mothballs and found your mittens at the bottom of the coat closet. Well what about your house; is it prepared for the cold months ahead?
Take heed in these few easy steps to making sure you are your family are comfy cozy this winter!
Here's the link we found these steps from if you want more!
http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107899
1. Clean those gutters Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters, and give them a good hose rinse so that winter's rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house. As you're hosing out your gutters, look for leaks and misaligned pipes. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house's foundation, where it could cause flooding or other water damage.
2. Block those leaksOne of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall, according to EarthWorks Group.
3. Insulate yourself
Regardless of the climate conditions you live in, you should always have a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic. Now this does cost money, but in the long run will save you money because you won't have to use your heater as much!
4. Check the furnace
Before the winter hits you want to check your furnace to make sure that everything is working right so that you don't have to fix things when the cold weather decends. Make sure to check the filter for replacements!
5. Get your ducts in a row
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That's a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house. Ducts aren't always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape.
6. Face your windows
Now, of course, is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows. If you don't have storm windows, and your windows are leaky or drafty, they should probably be updated to new efficient windows.
7. Don't forget the chimney
Make sure that your chimney has been cleaned and ready for use!
One other reminder: To keep out cold air, fireplace owners should keep their chimney's damper closed when the fireplace isn't in use. And for the same reason, woodstove owners should have glass doors on their stoves, and keep them closed when the stove isn't in use.
8. Reverse that fan
By reversing its direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate, keeping you more comfortable. When you look up, the blades should be turning clockwise.
9. Wrap those pipes
A burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before freezing nights hit, make certain that the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve), and that the lines are drained.
10. Finally, check those alarms
This is a great time to check the operation and change the batteries on your home's smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years, fire officials say. Test them, the older ones in particular with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the "test" button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and still works.
Those are some great tips to making sure you keep warm this winter! Have a great winter season from us, here at RE/MAX Complete!
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