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Winterizing Your Home: An Occupied Home
October 2023
As the chilly winds of winter approach, it’s time to gear up and prepare your home for the colder months ahead. Winterizing your home not only ensures a warm and cozy living space but also helps you save on energy bills and reduce your environmental footprint. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through some essential steps to winterize your home effectively. Winterization is the process of preparing a home for the harsh conditions of winter. It is usually performed in the fall before snow and excessive cold have arrived. Winterization protects against damage due to bursting water pipes, and from heat loss due to openings in the building envelope.
Plumbing System
Water damage caused by bursting pipes during cold weather can be devastating. A ruptured pipe will release water and not stop until someone shuts off the water. If no one is home to do this, an enormous quantity of water can flood a house and cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. Even during very small ruptures or ruptures that are stopped quickly, water leakage can result in mold and property damage. Broken water pipes can be costly to repair.
- All exposed water pipes in cold areas, such as attics, garages, and crawlspaces, should be insulated. Foam or fiberglass insulation can be purchased at most hardware stores. Insulation should cover the entirety of a pipe.
- Plastic is more tolerant of cold expansion than copper or steel. Houses in colder climates might benefit from the exclusive use of approved plastic plumbing.
- Water supply for exterior pipes should be shut off from inside the house and then drained.
- Sprinkler systems are particularly vulnerable to cracking due to cold-weather expansion. In addition to turning them, it helps to purge the system of any remaining water with compressed air.
- Homeowners should be aware that much of the plumbing system travels through areas that are significantly colder than the rest of the house. Because it is impossible to monitor the temperature of every portion of the plumbing system, indoor air temperature should be kept high enough throughout the winter to keep pipes in any unheated places from freezing.
Seal the Leaks
One of the first steps in winterizing your home is to identify and seal any leaks that may be letting cold air in and warm air out. Start by inspecting doors and windows for gaps, and use weatherstripping or caulk to seal them. Remember to check for drafts around electrical outlets, baseboards, and other potential openings where air might sneak in. A properly sealed home will not only keep you comfortable during winter but also help lower your heating costs.
Leaky window frames, door frames, and electrical outlets can allow warm air to escape into the outdoors.
- Windows that leak will allow cold air into the home. Feeling for drafts with a hand or watching for horizontal smoke from an incense stick are a few easy ways to inspect for leaks. They can be repaired with tape or caulk.
- On a breezy day, a homeowner can walk through the house and find far more leaks than they knew existed. Leaks are most likely in areas where a seam exists between two or more building materials.
Check and Insulate Your Attic
The attic is a prime area for heat loss in many homes. Inspect your attic for any signs of inadequate insulation or air leaks. Adding or upgrading insulation can significantly improve your home’s energy efficiency. Consider using eco-friendly insulation materials like recycled cellulose or wool, as they not only provide excellent insulation but are also sustainable choices for the environment.
- Because hot air rises into the attic, a disproportionately larger amount of heat is lost there than in other parts of the house. Like a winter hat that keeps a head warm, adequate attic insulation will prevent warm indoor air from escaping. Attic insulation should be 12 inches thick in cold climates.
- Storm doors and windows should be installed to insulate the house and protect against bad weather.
Service Your Heating System
Before winter sets in, it’s crucial to have your heating system serviced by a professional HVAC technician. Regular maintenance ensures that your furnace or heat pump is running efficiently and safely. The technician will clean or replace filters, check for any malfunctions, and perform any necessary repairs. A well-maintained heating system not only keeps you warm but also helps extend the life of the equipment.
- Test the furnace by raising the temperature on the thermostat. If it does not respond to the adjustment quickly it might be broken.
- Replace the air filter if it’s dirty.
- If the furnace is equipped with an oil or propane tank, the tank should be full.
Cooling Systems
- Use a hose to remove leaves and other debris from the outdoor condensing unit, if the home is equipped with one. Protect the unit with a breathable waterproof cover to prevent rusting and freezing of its components.
- Remove and store window air conditioners when they are no longer needed. Cold air can damage their components and enter the house through openings between the air conditioner and the windowpane.
- Ceiling fans can be reversed in order to warm air trapped beneath the ceiling to recirculate. A fan has been reversed if it spins clockwise.
Utilize a Programmable Thermostat
Installing a programmable thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for various times of the day. Lowering the temperature when you’re away or sleeping and raising it when you’re home can lead to significant energy savings. Some advanced thermostats even learn your schedule and preferences, optimizing your home’s heating to suit your lifestyle.
Clean and Inspect Your Chimney
If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, ensure that your chimney is clean and free from any blockages or creosote buildup. A blocked chimney can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide leaks and decrease the efficiency of your heating system. If needed, hire a professional chimney sweep to perform a thorough cleaning and inspection.
- The chimney should be inspected for nesting animals trying to escape the cold. Squirrels and raccoons have been known to enter chimneys for this reason.
- The damper should open and close with ease. Smoke should rise up the chimney when the damper is open. If it doesn’t, this means that there is an obstruction in the chimney that must be cleared before the fireplace can be used.
- A chimney-cleaning service professional should clean the chimney if it has not been cleaned for several years.
- The damper should be closed when the fireplace is not in use. An open damper might not be as obvious to the homeowner as an open window, but it can allow a significant amount of warm air to escape.
- Glass doors can be installed in fireplaces and wood stoves to provide an extra layer of insulation.
Reverse Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans aren’t just for summer use. Most modern ceiling fans have a reversible switch, which allows them to rotate in the opposite direction, creating an updraft. By running your ceiling fan in reverse at a low speed, you can circulate warm air that accumulates near the ceiling back down into the living space.
Protect Your Pipes
Frozen pipes can be a nightmare during winter. To prevent this, insulate exposed pipes in unheated areas like basements, attics, and crawl spaces. In extremely cold weather, consider allowing faucets to drip slightly to relieve pressure and prevent freezing.
Roofs
- If debris is left in gutters, it can get wet and freeze, permitting the formation of ice dams that prevent water from draining. This added weight has the potential to cause damage to gutters. Also, trapped water in the gutter can enter the house and lead to the growth of mold. For these reasons, leaves, pine needles, and all other debris must be cleared from gutters. This can be done by hand or with a hose.
- Missing shingles should be replaced.
Protect your Garden
Don’t forget about the exterior of your home! Prepare your garden for winter by trimming trees and bushes away from power lines and the house. Drain and store garden hoses, shut off outdoor water sources, and consider covering delicate plants to protect them from frost.
- Patio furniture should be covered.
- If there is a deck, it might need an extra coat of sealer.
Consider Renewable Energy Sources
While preparing your home for winter, it’s an opportune time to consider renewable energy options. Solar panels and other renewable energy sources can help offset your winter heating costs and reduce your environmental impact. Explore available incentives and tax credits that might make the transition to renewable energy more affordable.
In summary, home winterization is a collection of preventative measures designed to protect homes against damage caused by cold temperatures. These measures should be performed in the fall, before it gets cold enough for damage to occur. Indoor plumbing is probably the most critical area to consider when preparing a home for winter, although other systems should not be ignored.