How to Winterise Your Home

How to Winterise Your Home

As the warm summer is slipping away and it is getting colder every day, it is getting to the time when you need to prepare your home for the winter months. Now is the time to winterise your home, because you will not only be cozy during depressing winter months but you can also drastically lower your electricity bill. So here are some ways how you can winterise your home.

Clean Your Gutters

It is very important that you prevent your gutters from freezing over. You can do that simply by cleaning them out or installing gutter guards if you don’t have them. It is also good to check if your attic floor is insulated correctly. Make sure that your attic has good ventilation and it is somewhere around ten degrees warmer than it is outside.

Seal Any Cracks

Caulking is one of the simple yet the most effective ways of preventing the cold air from coming into your home. When you are caulking, you need to make sure that you are plugging all the tiny holes, cracks or any open seams on the exterior of your home. It is best to use good quality caulk made out of a mix of acrylic and latex in order to fill all the air leaking gaps. Pay more attention to places around the doors, windows or places where your siding overlaps with the foundation.

Add an Emergency Release

If you live in a place where winters are freezing, you should invest in an emergency pressure release valve. By doing so, you will protect your freezing pipes from bursting because it will release any increased pressure. Because this involves knowing how to deal with pipes and staying safe, it is best if you call your local plumber to do the work for you.

Insulate Your Hot-Water Pipes

In order to reduce any excess heat loss, you have to insulate your hot-water pipes. By insulating the pipes, the hot water inside will stay hot so your water heater will be more efficient. And as a bonus, you won’t have to wait that long for hot water to come when you turn on the shower or the faucet. It is super simple to do; you can slip it onto the pipe with insulation wraps.

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You Must Test Your Detectors

Because residential fires are more and more frequent during wintertime, you must check if your smoke detectors are working correctly. You need to check them every month. If you don’t already have it installed, it is good to have a detector that is for carbon monoxide to avoid any unregistered toxic gases in your home.

Add Draft Guards

If you have a drafty room, all of the heat will escape through the crack. When you are winterizing your home, adding a draft guard is essential. It is a super simple solution that will keep your room warm.

Change Your Furnace Filters

If you have a furnace in your home, it is very important that you choose the air filter from it every two or so months during the winter season. When your filter is clogged and dirty, it will reduce its efficiency and the purity of the air. There are some models that are longer lasting.

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Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are not only for summertime. Most of the newer fans have the options that will allow you to reverse the rotation of the blade. During summer, your blades are rotating counterclockwise and blow the breeze down. But during winter time you need to blow the warm air up.

During wintertime, it is in everybody’s best interest to keep their home warm and cozy. But it is important that you are thinking about how you can make it more energy-efficient and save some money. It doesn’t take much to winterize your home.

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