Not properly preparing your home for cold weather is a mistake that can cost a homeowner a little or a lot, depending on the situation
Each season presents a different set of challenges to a homeowner. Winter can be particularly troublesome as the cold weather can not only elevate your home energy bill but can also turn nagging problems into crises. Often, a little preparation is all you need to avert a costly calamity as an ill-prepared home in wintertime can be quite expensive.
We’ve collected several methods to best protect your home in the winter, ranging from simple fixes to projects that can significantly reduce your heating bill.
Flip the switch on your ceiling fan
Many people do not realize that a ceiling fan rotates in two directions. In the warmer months, you want the blades spinning counter-clockwise to push the air down and create a breeze that can help cool you off. In colder weather, a ceiling fan should spin in the opposite direction (clockwise) on low to create an updraft that will better circulate warm air trapped near the ceiling. You can do this by flipping the little toggle switch located on the base of the fan.
Change your furnace filter
When the temperature drops low enough, it’s time to adjust the thermostat so the furnace will turn on and warm the house. A forced air furnace draws cool air in and pushes warm air out. To help keep your home clean, that air passes through a furnace filter. A dirty filter can make your heating system inefficient, raise your energy bills, and reduce the lifespan of your furnace. It can also diminish the quality of air in your home. If the air seems a little dusty when you boot up the furnace for the first time, or if the heat output seems lessened, it may be time to replace the filter. Before the cold weather comes and you adjust that thermostat, make sure you have a fresh furnace filter installed.
Test your carbon monoxide detector
Whenever your furnace turns on, the burning fuel creates dangerous carbon monoxide. In a properly functioning system, this colorless, odorless gas is contained and vented, so it poses no threat. But if there is a leak and carbon monoxide is getting into your home, it is incredibly hard to detect without a carbon monoxide detector. Before firing up your furnace for the first time each winter, test your carbon monoxide detector by pressing and holding the testing button until you hear a beep. If you hear the beep, you know that you and your family will be alerted to any danger. If you don’t, it’s time to replace the unit.
Clear your gutters
Leaves have a tendency to collect and clog gutters, which can create a number of serious and costly problems for a homeowner. While you may get more snow than rain in the winter, when that snow melts, the gutters need to be clear so that water has a place to flow away. If you have a house with a low roof, it’s not hard to grab a ladder and check the gutters yourself. If cleaning the gutters is more challenging on your home, call a professional service to perform the task for you.
Caulk your windows
While leaks around windows might be difficult to detect in the warmer months, once winter arrives, they are much easier to locate. If you get a chill when walking past a window, stop to give it a quick inspection. If you find little gaps around the window (either inside or out), it’s time to make a quick repair. Use a caulking gun and some exterior caulk to fill in those little gaps and help reduce your heating bills.
Heat chilly rooms with a space heater
If you have one room that is typically cooler than the rest of the house, turning up the thermostat is often not the best solution as it will heat a larger portion of your house (or possibly the whole house). Investing in a portable space heater allows you to quickly heat a small space while keeping your overall home heating expenses to a minimum.
Rearrange the furniture
This last tip is a simple fix, yet few people ever think of it. Because heat rises, the most efficient heating registers are located on the floor. When your furnace is on, the heat comes out of those registers, rises, and circulates to warm the entire room. If a heating register is blocked by a bed, a sofa, a pile of boxes, or even drapery, it can prevent the warm air from freely circulating about the room. If this is the case for you, consider rearranging the furniture so it is not interfering with the heat flow.
Allen Foster is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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