Winter, Winter, Where Are You?

While it still feels like summer here (a really long hot, sticky summer!), winter is definitely on its way. In fact the first official day of winter is coming up in just a couple of weeks: December 21st, to be more precise. So don't let this freaky out-of-season hot weather fool you. Winter will get here eventually and it will most likey bring with it the usual biting cold, gusting winds and pouring rain (b'ezrat Hashem!). So before all that nasty stuff catches you by surprise, let's talk about winterizing your home.

There are a few basic steps that you need to take to make sure our home is ready to greet the cold weather. Not all of them may apply to you, but the more you can do, the more you will keep your family comfortable and your heating and electric bills down.

Clean Your Gutters

All the natural debris and garbage that has accumulated over the last few months must be removed - by hand, by scraper, by a small shovel, and finally by a good hose rinse - so that the winter's rain can drain. Clogged drains can form dams, in which water backs up and seeps into the house. As you're hosing out your gutters, it's very important to look for leaks and misaligned pipes.

Seal Those Leaks

One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out. First, find the leaks: On a breezy day, walk around inside your home checking common drafty areas: recessed lighting, window and door frames, electrical outlets. Then, use door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and silicone to seal those drafty areas. Outlet gaskets can easily be insulated in electrical outlets that share a home's outer walls, where cold air often enters.

Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing. Even the smallest of cracks are worth sealing up.

Insulate

Although it may cost a bit of money, adding insulation to the existing insulation in your attic is a huge energy-saving move. A minimum of 30 cm of insulation is necessary for optimum protection from the elements.

Check Your Ducts and Vents

A home with centralheating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That's a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house.

Ducts aren't always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape.

Ducts and vents should also be vacuumed once every few years, to clean out the tons of dust, animal hair and other gunk that can gather in them and cause repiratory problems.

Insulate Your Windows

Upgrading your windows can be cost prohibitive. But there are ways to make your present windows more weather proof. Windows can be insulated with plastic sheeting, double stick tape and... a blow dryer! It's temporary and it's not pretty, but it's inexpensive and extremely effective.

Reverse That Fan

If you remember from our previous article that if you reverse the direction of your ceiling fans from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to re-circulate, keeping you more comforatable. (Here's how you know the fan is ready for winter: As you look up, the blades should be turning clockwise.)

Check Those Alarms

If you don't have smoke alarms in your home, this is a great time to install them. If you do have smoke alarms, make sure you check their operation and change the batteries. Test the detectors with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the "test" button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and that it works.

Also, invest in a carbon-monoxide detector; every home should have at least one.

By the way, most of these steps should be handled by trained professionals for best results. Handy Randy and Son can take care of all of these things for you quickly and efficiently!