Winter is coming, which means chilly days, gloomy evenings, snowflakes, and staying warm inside your house. However, the winter months can seriously damage your home. Winterization is a crucial procedure that property owners should pay attention to for their property, regardless of whether you are packing up your beach house after Labor Day or getting your home ready for the cold season.
A home should be winterized to prevent increased energy expenses and harm from the cold and snow. Here’s how to properly winterize your house to withstand the weather.
What is Winterization?
Winterization prepares the inside and outside of your home to be vacant during the winter. It is a collection of preventative measures designed to protect your home against damage caused by cold temperatures. Houses can suffer from damage during the winter, but proper winterizing will stop preventable home damage, such as damaged pipes and gas leaks.
When To Winterize Your Home
The best time to winterize your home is before the winter arrives, preferably in early fall. A frozen pipe or a broken furnace can give you a hard time when winter comes. Moreover, if you decide to do DIY, this will give you plenty of time to do it on your own time. When hiring a pro, you will have some time to schedule appointments and complete the necessary work before winter.
How to Winterize Your Home
Winterizing your home can help keep it warmer and lower your bills, and it is simple to get started. Here are some things you can do to winterize your home.
Perform Routine Maintenance
Insulation
Is insulation ready for winter? It is worth inspecting your insulation as it is one of the essential lines of defense from the winter’s freezing temperature.
Heating System
Your heating system will do most of the work to keep you warm during the winter, so it is best to take the time for preventive maintenance. Routine maintenance of your heating system will help extend the life of your heating system and detect problems early.
Before winter:
- Before the arrival of the winter weather, have a qualified technician evaluate and service your heating system. Fill up your fuel tanks before you depart, and arrange regular fuel supplies if necessary. While you are away, have someone check the heat and fuel levels frequently.
- If maintaining electrical power is necessary to keep the heating system operating, be sure to do so. Consider having your main electrical panel, wiring, and outlets inspected by a professional electrical contractor if the home’s electrical service is to be kept on while you are gone. Replace or fix anything that might be broken.
- A licensed contractor should inspect and maintain your furnace or boiler at least once yearly, ideally before the heating season starts.
- A licensed contractor should inspect and maintain your chimney at least once each year. Keep in mind to get creosote buildup cleaned from chimneys that service fireplaces and woodstoves.
During winter:
- Fill up your fuel tanks, and monitor the levels all winter long.
- As the temperature inside the walls where the water piping is colder than the living spaces, set your heat to 55 degrees minimum; open doors to vacant rooms to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the house.
- Keep your pellet or wood stoves maintained following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Winterize your Pipes
Water expands when it freezes, which can quickly destroy your pipes. The occasional cold weather can endanger your pipe systems even if you don’t reside in a region that frequently experiences freezing temperatures. To prevent damage, exposed pipes, such as those in your attic or garage, may need specific insulation.
Insulating your pipes and thoroughly inspecting them for cracks are critical steps in winterizing your house. You can disconnect and switch off any outdoor pipes, such as sprinklers or garden hoses. With the groundbreaking Freeze Protection mode, which enables your heat pump to blow in hot air while using the least amount of power to prevent freezing temperatures in your house, ductless heat pumps provide a fantastic option.
Turn Off Your Water Supply
Consider turning off your water supply if you will be gone for a long time. Ask your heating expert if it is possible to switch off the water supply for your specific heating system if an older steam heating system heats your home. Additionally, if your house has a fire sprinkler system, be sure not to cut off the water.
If you have shut off the water supply, flush your toilet to remove any remaining water from the tank and bowl, and open the faucets to drain the water from your pipes. Always use non-toxic antifreeze approved for plumbing systems to prevent any remaining water from freezing in toilet tanks and bowls.
Since mistakes could harm your water system, you should hire a qualified plumber to complete these procedures. A certified plumber can also use specialized tools and equipment to verify that the pipes are dry.
Switch to LED lights
Consider utilizing energy-efficient LED lights if you intend to hang holiday decorations outside to lower your electricity costs. Since LED lights outperform conventional incandescent glass bulbs in terms of lifespan, safety, and durability, they should be more weather-resistant. Use these lights indoors on your Christmas tree or as recess illumination throughout your house.
Switch to Smart Devices
These days, smart home appliances are popular and necessary if you want to prepare your house for the winter. For instance, a smart water leak detector next to your boiler or water heater can notify you if there is a leak. You can also use a heated mattress pad to keep warm and comfortable at night.
Smart thermostats can be used with central heating systems to maintain the perfect indoor temperature. Smart AC controllers must be your go-to appliance to automate your ductless heating and cooling systems if you have a ductless heat pump. You can reduce your energy costs using smart AC controls. You may program routines for the entire week and use temperature and humidity triggers with intelligent climate control devices to maintain the ideal environment.
