Getting Your Fairfax Home Ready For Winter

Winter is coming

Winter is coming. No, thats not just a line from a television show, its fair warning for many Virginia homeowners. With weather that ranges from very warm in summer to very cold in winter, homes need to prepare for winter conditions, particularly with regards to heating and plumbing. Fairfax VA, for instance gets temperatures that run to the 30s in winter January is the coldest month with an average minimum temperature of 21.9. Here are a few tips on preparing your home for the coming cold.

Why Prepare?

Unless a home is sufficiently prepared for winter, problems such as extremely high electricity bills, frozen pipes and more can occur. Early preparations for winter weather can save you energy, resulting in reduced costs on household repairs, electricity, heating and plumbing. Fairfax VA homeowners in particular, especially those with older, bigger homes, can benefit a lot by following a few of these tips. Whats more, save enough energy and a homeowner can even qualify for tax credits!

Water Pipes and Lines

Drain and Seal Leaks. Water lines need to be prepared for winter in order to avoid problems in plumbing. Fairfax VA weather can quickly freeze undrained water in external pipes, leaky spigots and air-conditioning hoses, so its necessary to make sure they are drained.

Before the weather turns harsh, always ensure that any water leaks are sealed, and address similar problems in plumbing. Fairfax VA has many licensed professionals specializing in winterizing homes.

Insulate pipes. Insulating pipes (and your hot water heater) not only decreases the chances of pipes freezing - which can be disastrous it can also help you save, because youll end up paying less for hot water. A good method to check if your pipes are good candidates for insulation is to see if your pipes are warm to the touch. Pre-slit insulation foam is available as DIY insulation just duct tape them to the plumbing. Fairfax VA professionals are also available to do it for you if youre not that handy.

Lower water heater temperatures. 140 degrees Fahrenheit is the standard default temperature set by water heater installers. Unfortunately, this can not only be too high in terms of energy used, it can also occasionally cause scalding burns, especially in winter. Lowering the temperature to 120 or even lower can reduce water heating costs and be kinder to your plumbing. Fairfax VA residents can check out if theyre qualified for reimbursements and subsidies to weatherization improvements to their homes.

Savings And Reimbursements.

Dont think of these winter preparations as a burden to your budget. Gearing up your home for winter not only protects it from the ravages of the cold weather, and your budget from the added strain, you can also get reimbursements up to 30% of the cost for energy-efficient improvements such as a solar heater and for insulating your plumbing. (Fairfax, VA residents may have slightly different benefits as the regulations vary from state to state, so its best to check with the local authorities.)

by: Sarah Saadoun

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