It’s always best to start winterizing your home a bit early. Rather than waiting for temperatures to plummet, get started on your weatherization project in the fall. It is the perfect time to carry out these activities. Of course, you would want your home to be ready before the cold winds hit, as nobody likes to work on home improvements in chilly weather with numb fingers! Here are cost-effective winterization tips & tricks which only require minimal effort! This handy winterizing a home checklist has everything you need:
1. Get Your Heating System Checked
One of the main tips for winterizing your home is to get your heating system checked. Your heating unit will be the one appliance you will regularly use. Thus, it makes perfect sense to give it a detailed look before putting it to use.
2. Winterize Your Pipes
Water expands when it freezes, and this can be hazardous for your pipes! If the temperature drops below 32F, your pipes can freeze and burst. Before the extreme cold sets in, always check for blockages and winterize your pipes. Pipes in areas such as the garage are very vulnerable to freezing during winter. A blocked pipe is more prone to cracking under extreme cold due to pressure build-up. An essential step when winterizing your home is to insulate your pipes and carefully look for any cracks. The pipes outside your home, such as garden hoses or sprinklers, can be disconnected and turned off. Ductless heat pumps offer a great solution with the innovative Freeze Protection mode, which allows your heat pump to blow in hot air while consuming minimum power to prevent freezing temperature in your home.
3. Flush Out the Water Heater
Before winter sets in, be sure to flush your water heater or boiler system. Because water heaters remain in operational during the summer sediment and other particles can settle in the outlets, reducing their efficiency.
4. Get Rid of Unvented Space Heaters
Gas space heaters are a great way to introduce a lot of heat into an indoor space, but they can be equally dangerous. The way they work, directly heating the room through combustion, fills the place with hazardous carbon monoxide gas. Without proper air circulation, CO2 can build up in the room and be potentially fatal.
5. Use Weatherstripping
Winterizing your home is not finished until you use Weatherstripping for the little nooks and crannies, which cannot be insulated otherwise. These places can be the window sash, attic hatches, door jambs, and immovable windows, which have degraded over time.