Winter is on its way! For many of us it will be too soon. Regardless of how you feel about all of the cold and snow that is sure to start flying, it's always a great idea to get the home ready for winter's cruel bite.
Here are several easy inspections you can do to ensure your home is ready for the upcoming weather.
- Check the weather stripping around all of your doors and windows. Small openings and spaces are the cause of more wasted energy in the home. If you replace or add weather strip, it will greatly reduce this waste.
- Clean Ceiling Fans and change their rotation to clockwise. This will help to push warm air down to lower levels.
- Fill cracks in the driveway and sidewalks. During colder temperatures, any water which has gotten into the cracks will expand and make the damage worse. Your local hardware store will have several easy-to-use crack fillers.
- Clean and Check Gutters. Make sure your gutters are clean and that they slope towards the down spout by 1/16 to 1/8 inch per foot.
- Check for holes in the attic during the brightest time of the day. You should be able to see any holes as the sunshine will shine through. Be sure to get these repaired quickly, as they could lead to more serious damage. You may want to see the help of a professional to complete this task.
- Check Attic Insulation. While you are up there, you might as well make sure you have plenty of insulation in the ceilings of your home. Remember, heat rises and can go through the roof if you do not have a properly-insulated attic.
If you take care of these steps your energy loss will decrease. That is always positive news during the colder months!
