It’s that time of year again. The leaves begin to change, a chill is in the air, and it’s time to break out the sweaters. Your home needs extra love to ensure it’s ready to handle the harsh realities of winter. Follow these steps to prepare your home for colder weather.
Put Your Ceiling Fans in Reverse
Find the reverse switch on your fan, and flip it to make your fan blades spin clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. This simple task will create an updraft to push the warm air back down and create a more comfortable living situation.
Vaulted ceilings will greatly benefit from reversed spinning fan blades. It could help you keep the thermostat temperature down a few degrees. Woo-hoo for energy savings!
Clean Out Your Gutters
Leaving debris in your gutters all winter can wreak havoc on your home. Leaves, small tree branches, and other pieces of nature you don’t clear out can block water from moving. The sitting water will repeatedly freeze and thaw, ruining your gutters in the process.
It could lead to other forms of damage, as well. With nowhere to go, the water can get under your roof, harming your walls, insulation, or siding. These issues require costly repairs.
Inspect the Furnace
Your furnace has been sitting dormant all summer long. Hire someone to check it out before you turn it on and discover an unforeseen issue. You could end up with more costly repairs that drain more from your wallet than the inspection cost would.
Professionals will detect any blockages, ignition issues, or other problems. It’s easier to schedule a maintenance appointment than to get an emergency repair.
Look for Drafts
There are several reasons why you might experience drafts at home. It could be your home’s age, damaged windows, or ill-fitting doors. You could also have insulation that you need to replace. Finding the spot where warm air is escaping and then addressing the problem can save you significant amounts of money.
Hire professionals to come out and replenish your insulation before the cold weather hits. You can also add door draft blocks to help keep the warm air inside. Placing shrink wrap on your windows will also stop the cold air from sneaking inside.
Preparing your home for cold weather is part of any homeowner’s to-do list in the fall. The above tips will help ensure your home is ready when that first frost hits.