Posted August 20, 2010 by Laura Wagner

A Happy Home in the Cold...

This may be a little premature or maybe just my wishful thinking but here are some tips on preparing your home for the cold weather.

Window and Doors

Make sure the caulking around the doors and windows is sufficient to keep the heat inside the home.

Make sure all the door locks are properly lubricated. If you are having trouble getting the key in or moving the key around you should lubricate the locks.

Add weather stripping to the exterior doors to make sure they are air tight.

Use draft stoppers under the door ways.

Heating and Cooling:

Upgrade your thermostat to a digital thermostat. Make sure the lower the heat during the night and around mid day.

Don’t forget to replace your furnace filter once every season. Clean and vacuum around the filter when replacing.

Have a professional give your heating system a once over.

Make sure to check the insulation in any cellar, attic, and around the pipes.

Plumbing:

Check for gaps in the caulk in your bathrooms in and around all fixtures. If not properly sealed then you need to seal the gaps/

Clear all drains in the kitchen and bathrooms

Check the water heater for leaks and insulate if necessary

Check all pipes for water leaks

The Chimney:

Have a professional check all chimneys and wood stoves annually

Make sure all chimneys are well insulated

Use fans to circulate heat from fireplaces to other rooms

The Great Outdoors:

Clean all outdoor gutters

Shut off any outdoor hoses at their indoor source. Store the hoses outside. Insulate the faucet area if the winters get extremely cold

Check the roof flashing and caulk if necessary

Home Safety:

Check all smoke alarms

Replace carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries

Make sure you have a working flashlight.

Test your emergency generator

Make sure any and all stairways are lighted.

These are just a few helpful ideas to ready your home for the soon to come colder months and also help to save some energy in the process.

Feel free to contact me with any home buying, selling, or leasing needs, or if I can answer any questions.

 

:

Laura@rogershealy.com or 972.380.3430