Is Your House Ready for Winter?

The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a chilly winter this year, “Freezing temperatures will be especially pronounced along most of the Atlantic seaboard and in the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Pacific Northwest, and southwestern states.”  Therefore, it is important to make sure that your home is ready for the heating season.  Here are 4 tips for having a house ready for winter:

Furnace Inspection

An annual furnace inspection is a great way to ensure that your furnace is running safely and efficiently before the heating season begins.  Certified technicians will perform a thorough exam of the unit, including looking for any danger from possible gas or carbon monoxide leaks.  Though it is best to have your furnace inspected before the temperature drops, you do not have to wait for an inspection to turn it on.

Sealing Windows/Doors

Windows and doors are places where cold air from the outside sneaks in, and nice warm inside air sneaks out.  Check out the windows and doors in your home to be sure that they are sealed properly.  You can even take it a step further and have a whole-house energy efficiency evaluation performed on your home to find where leaks are throughout.  Another idea is to create a fun homemade draft stopper for windows and doors with your kids to cut down on some leaks.

Add Insulation

Adding insulation to the attic and outside walls of your home will increase your home’s efficiency this winter.  Think of it as a big blanket for your home. Insulation can be done professionally, or you can do it yourself.  The best part?  Insulation is even helpful in the summertime!  It is a good idea to insulate your water heater to increase its efficiency as well.  Also, to reduce the potential risk of having plumbing pipes freeze and burst, it is important to insulate those with foam.

What about the Air Conditioner?

Not much has to be done to prepare your air conditioner for winter, but you should disconnect the power to it to save money.  Though you may hear about or see covers for the outside condenser unit of the air conditioner, you do NOT want to cover it.  The condenser unit has moisture in it that needs to evaporate, but a cover will not allow it to do so, which can cause problems from build up.

For more information about getting your home and your furnace ready for winter, or if you think that this season might be the best one for a new Bryant furnace- contact FLAME!