subject: Winterizing Your Home [print this page] Winterizing Your Home Winterizing Your Home
Though winter doesn't officially start until December 21, the majority of those in the United States will tell you it's already here! Even the more moderate weather areas of the south have felt that nip in the air, as well as seen a few nights of near freezing temps. We're just getting started, however, and the worst of the winter weather is likely yet to come. Therefore, now is the time to make your home ready to withstand all the damage freezing temps and precipitation can bring.
Frozen pipes are a homeowner's top concern in the winter season, and are a major cause of water damage to the home. Homeowners should be sure to wrap insulation around all exposed pipes in unheated areas, such as those under a dwelling not on a slab foundation, in crawl spaces, garages, basements and in attics. Additionally, detach garden hoses from outside taps and put protective wrapping or covers over those taps. If your home is well heated, your interior pipes should be fine. But for particularly severe weather, under-heated homes or pipes inside exterior walls leave interior faucets to those pipes at a slow drip. And any cabinets which contain pipes should have its doors left open to allow heat to reach the pipes.
Also important is to make sure your heating devices are ready to handle heavy use. For those with furnaces, consider having a check-up/maintenance done to make sure the equipment is in good repair. Definitely change out any air filters to keep your furnace in peak shape. If your heating requires that you store oil, make certain your tank is full before the season kicks into full gear. And all homeowners with fuel or wood-burning heating should be sure to adequately supply their home with working carbon monoxide detectors, with fresh batteries for the winter. Before you fire up that fireplace for the first time, consider having a cleaning done on your chimney. You might be surprised how many animals made your chimney home during the spring and summer, which can cause anything from smoke damage to your home, to dangerous carbon monoxide build-up or fires.
Now is the time to check for insulation problems around your doors and windows. If these areas feel cooler or you notice a breeze coming from a closed window or door, you are not only allowing in the cold, you're likely throwing money away on your energy bill. Check the seals on your doors and windows to make sure they haven't cracked, and replace any that have. Doors, especially, can easily be better insulated by adding weather stripping around the edges. Windows, unfortunately, can be expensive to properly winterize, sometimes requiring anything from removing poorly fitted windows to reseat or add insulation/caulk to gaps, to changing out single pane windows with better insulated double-pane windows. However, one simple and affordable fix can be to add window tint to your windows. When you use a window tinting San Antonio company, not only will adding tint to your window help prevent a costly escape of heat from your home in the winter, during the summer it helps insulate your home from exterior heat.
Finally, we can't forget the two P's: plants and pets. Protect expensive landscaping with burlap covers during freezes. If possible, bring in potted plants when you know the weather will be particularly bad. And don't forget that even the thickest coat is seldom sufficient protection for anyone, let alone our pets. Be sure to bring them in when the weather turns harsh.
