Important Steps to Winterize Your Home

We’ve had unseasonably warm fall, but the harsh reality is that winter is right around the corner. Temperatures will be dropping soon, and it’s important to make sure your home is ready, so you can avoid disaster when it’s below freezing. What should you do to prepare for cold weather? Here are our tips for winterizing your heating, cooling, and plumbing systems.

Heating

• Before cold weather hits, take a moment to turn on your furnace and make sure everything is operating properly, and that it’s actually putting out warm air. Better to discover issues now than later! If your furnace is not working as it should, you’ll want to contact a technician.
• Pop in a new filter for your furnace. Do it now so your furnace is ready to go once winter begins.
• Clean your vents! Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and dust before you start having air blow through regularly. If your vents haven’t been cleaned out in a few years, you may consider hiring a professional duct cleaning service.
• Make sure you have a way to check for carbon monoxide leaks. CO2 detectors are inexpensive and incredibly easy to use, and they could potentially save your family’s life. Make sure you have working detectors in place before you start using your furnace regularly.

Cooling

• Before it’s too cold, you’ll want to clean your outdoor air conditioning unit. Use a hose set on a high-pressure setting to remove dirt from fan blades and condensing coils.
• Extend the life of your unit by covering it with a breathable cover during the winter months. This can help prevent rusting and save you money in the years to come.

Plumbing

• If you have any exposed pipes, make sure they are insulated. This will help prevent freezing, which can be dangerous and costly.
• Drain garden hoses and put them away for the season. Also be sure to drain any exterior faucets, and turn off the water supply to those faucets from inside the house.
• During winter, if the weather becomes severely cold, it is recommend to let interior faucets drip to prevent freezing.

Do you want more information about wise heating, cooling, and plumbing choices for your home? Join us on November 19th for our free seminar at the Indiana Design Center. We’ll be partnering with Homesense Heating and Cooling and Mishler Plumbing to answer all of your questions about these important parts of your home. Don’t miss it!