As the temperatures outside are dropping and winter is just around the corner, many people have already pulled out their sweater from the closets, prepared their mittens and took out their cozy, plush slippers right. As many of you are thinking right now, nothing compares to being comfortably dressed and watching the Christmas lights get engulfed by the peaceful snowing outside while the whole house smells like eggnog and freshly baked gingerbread.
Leaving the romanticized version of winter aside, if you really want to enjoy this majestic season you will need to do more than dress appropriately for it. In short, you also need to prepare your home for winter.
1. Tune-up the heating system
As you probably know from the previous winters, approximately 30% of the household expenses during the cold season stem from the heating system. On a side note, based on the region you live in and the resource you utilize for heating - mainly electricity, gas and oil - this expenditure could easily grow double. Therefore, it is highly advisable to test their functionality, check for faulty devices, change filters and perform any other maintenance tasks to ensure they are in top working condition.
2. Check the insulation on the ductwork
Without properly insulating the ductwork that runs all across your house, you risk wasting about 60% of the heated air by trying to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors. If you're tired of wasting so much money, then it would be a good idea to insulate the ducts, particularly in the cold areas of your house such as the basement, attic or crawlspaces. In case you observe pinches and gasps, then utilize a metal backed tape to fix them. Even though regular duct tape can do the trick in most cases, it won't be as efficient if you have an older ductwork. Don't forget to wrap up the pipes that run outside your home as well.
3. Button up the windows
Ideally, winterizing the winters would imply replacing the current windows with resilient storm windows as their extra layer of protection works great on keeping the warmth inside the home. However, if you can't afford to invest in new windows, there is still a viable solution for your situation, namely the insulated blinds. While many homeowners don't give them too much credit, in reality the insulated blinds have the potential of doubling or even tripling a window's efficiency level.
4. Block the air leaks
Did you know that air infiltration is the number one reason for the low temperatures in your home? However, air leaks are simple to handle as all you need to do is walk around with a smoke stick to discover and block them. Getting door sweepers and caulking the doors and windows is usually an easy trick to prevent cold air from making its way into your home.
5. A programmable thermostat would really come in handy
Since you want to keep the heating bill from eating into your bank account too much, it would be wise to invest in a programmable thermostat that will turn the heating system on and off according to the desired indoor temperature.
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