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News Flash!
News Flash!
Now that our beautiful Indian Summer has finally left us it's time to get serious about preparing our homes for the cold winter months ahead. Here are a few tips to winterize your home and save money on heating bills.
1. Start outside by removing autumn leaves and debris from your gutters. This will prevent rain and melting snow from pooling which can cause roof leaks.
2. Turn off all outdoor faucets making sure you've drained the water out first. Any water left standing in the pipe through the exterior wall can freeze and expand during the winter causing the pipe to split.
3. Close vents to basements and crawlspaces.
4. Check for cracks and holes around doors and windows. Replace and repair old weather stripping.
5. If you have older windows considered buying the window shrink-wrap. I use it every year and it really helps by sealing out the drafts and sealing in the heat. On windy days I can actually see the plastic over the windows bowing inward from the draft. Without the shrink-wrap plastic all of that cold air would be getting inside of my house.
6. As beautiful as they are, fireplaces are common sources of energy loss. Be sure the damper is in working order and that it's closed when the fireplace isn't in use to prevent heat lost. (Just remember to open it up when your use the fireplace or else you'll fill your home with smoke or worse!)
7. Have your fireplace chimney professional cleaned to prevent creosote build up and potential chimney fires.
8. To insulate your chimney even more, consider installing a chimney cap, which seals out pests and prevents heat loss. You can buy them at most home centers and their instructions make them an easy and affordable weekend project.
9. Think about installing a glass fireplace door. There're attractive and they can help prevent heat and energy loss while also protecting children from the open flames and prevent sparks from coming put of the fire and into the room. Remember to keep them shut unless you need access to the fireplace.
10. You may want to install a blower in your fireplace. It will increase the efficiency of your fireplace by pulling air through a tube that circulates around the burning logs. The blower will then force the heated air back into the room.
11. Consider having your heating system serviced by a professional to make sure it is in working order. At the very least, replace filters and clean air ducts. This last step will also help cut down on winter illness since bacteria can build up in old filters and your ducts and become airborne once the heating system kicks in.
12. Dimmer switches and three-way light bulbs will help you reduce electricity consumption. Install fluorescent bulbs in your lamps and other fixtures, they produce more light with less electricity and last longer too.
13. Take advantage of the suns heating rays (passive solar heat) by opening the curtains, shades and blinds during the day. Just make sure to close up again at night to get some extra insulation over your windows.
14. Turn down the thermostats while you're asleep or away. It costs less to reheat a house than to keep the heat source continually running.
15. Replace old inefficient thermostats that operate at only setting with programmable thermostats that operate in hourly increments. They are easy to install and available at any home center.
16. Try adding area rugs to help warm and insulate tile or hardwood floors.
17. Close off any rooms that you don't use on a regular basis.
18. Lastly, and a favorite, cuddle with your spouse for extra warmth and body heat.
By: Lisa Alexander
Certified Eco Broker®
