Do-It-Yourself Home Winterization Tips
Winterizing your home should start with thinking about Safety First, and the best way to ensure the safety of your HVAC system is to get a heating tune-up to be sure its efficient operation throughout the cold season.
After that's accomplished, all you have to do is be sure you're not wasting additional energy. You can reduce your heating costs further by doing a few simple things yourself that won't cost a ton. One way to find out if you're wasting energy is to do your own 5-step Energy Audit:
Take a walk around the exterior of your house and check for cracks around windows and doors where cold air can come in. Also examine brick work, stucco, siding and the foundation for any gaps. And be sure to check around gas and electric lines and plumbing, too.
Your next step is to get to the hardware store to purchase weather stripping, caulk and foam. The money you save on energy will be well worth the small price you pay for these materials. Then take your check list and plug those cracks and install the weather stripping. It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours depending on the amount of cracks and the size of your home.
Do a similar inside audit, check for air infiltration around windows, doors and switch plates on outside walls. To find air leaks use a piece of tissue on a tooth pick or an incense stick. Air coming in will make the tissue flag wave or disperse the incense smoke. Temporary caulking can be used around windows and then removed in the spring. Foam inserts behind switch plates will eliminate that infiltration problem (be sure power to switch plates is turned off when adding insulation).
Take your Energy Audit into the basement, attic or crawl space. Since insulation gets compacted over the years, add insulation to keep the heat from escaping. Check vents and duct work for leaks or separation.
Turn off the water supply to outside faucets, and even cover them with insulating material. Water damage caused by broken pipes can result in untimely, expensive repairs.
*Sometimes staying warm doesn't cost a thing. For more tips to energy-and-cost-saving ideas, visit www.ServiceExperts.ca and click on Sam's Blog. *
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