With the fall season quickly winding down, winter is approaching. And with it comes a lot of snow and cold weather. Not only is this cold weather hard for you when you head outside, it can also be difficult for your home. If you’re not careful, things can freeze, break or generally contribute to a less comfortable home when it’s cold outside.
However, if you plan ahead and prepare, you can ensure your home is ready for whatever winter is going to throw it’s way. Without any further ado, let’s go over some great ways to prepare your home for the cold winter temperatures.
Ensure Your Furnace is in Working Order
One of the best ways to ensure that your home is ready for the winter is by getting your furnace in working order. Without a working furnace, the winter weather can make your home incredibly uncomfortable. You need to make sure it pumps out warm air effectively, and ensures your home reaches your desired temperature.
Be sure to test out your furnace ahead of time. If you wait until winter is already here to test it, you could be in for a rude awakening and may need to suffer through a couple of cold days before you can get it fixed.
If your furnace is beyond repair, or simply getting old, you may need to get a new one installed. Of course, be sure to work with a company that specializes in new furnace installation in your area. Whether you repair or replace it, a furnace is a crucial part of a home that is ready for the winter.
Seal Off Any Air Leaks or Gaps
Another great way to prepare your home for winter is to seal off any air leaks or gaps. These can be found anywhere, but are commonly around doors or windows. They let the cold air in (and warm air out), which hurts your ability to efficiently heat your home in the winter. It will take you longer (and be much more expensive) to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
Thankfully, detecting air leaks can be quite easy. You can often feel them with your hand, so simply take a bit of time and travel around the walls of your home and you should be able to tell where cold air is entering. Once these leaks are detected, be sure to fill them. This could be weatherstripping, caulking or other materials to ensure that your home is sealed off from the outdoor air all winter long.
Prepare Your Plumbing
If temperatures drop low enough where you live, it is important to do some plumbing preparation before wintertime arrives. The water inside your household pipes has the potential to freeze and this can cause issues. Having broken pipes in your home can lead to a lot of damage so you need to be careful and ensure your pipes aren’t freezing.
All exterior pipes and faucets should be drained and they should be turned off for the winter. Also, if you have underground sprinklers, be sure to have them blown out. Inside, you need to prepare your vulnerable pipes with some sort of insulation to ensure they don’t freeze on you. The pipes near exterior walls and the ones in basements are often at the highest risk of freezing.
Preparing Your Home for the Winter
Winter is coming, and it is important to be prepared at home. By ensuring your furnace works, sealing off air leaks, and getting your plumbing under control and protected, your home will be ready for the cold temperature that winter brings.
