Preparing for Winter in the Home
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When winter arrives, it is important for home owners to prepare the home. Just like any season, winter comes with its own personality and your home needs to be equipped to handle the weather changes. Sleet, snow, rain and hail are only a small example of what can happen during the winter time. As the home owner, you must take the appropriate steps to ensure that your home is winter weatherized and ready for the colder temperatures. Below are a few tips you can use to get your home ready for the upcoming winter season.
Yard Clean-up
The first step you can take as winter approaches is to get the yard ready for cold weather. This can include removing patio furniture from the yard area and storing it for winter. You can clean up any leaves and debris over the coming weeks to prepare the area for non-use. As the temperatures drop, you will spend less time outside. Be sure to pick up bikes, toys and patio items and store for the winter so these items will function when spring and summer arrives.
Weatherizing the Exterior
The exterior of the home must be ready to withstand the winter as well. You will not want to venture out during the freezing temperatures so you will need to do any weatherizing before the temperatures drop. Seal any leaks or drafts in windows and entry points to ensure the warm heat of the home is not able to seep out. Add storm windows to the window area for an additional layer of protection for your windows if need be.
If you have a central heating system with an outdoor portion, be sure to clean this area up and protect from the elements. You can even add a fence or casing to help protect from snow, ice and wind.
Heating Systems
One of the most essential home features of the home during the winter is the heating system. Whether you have a furnace, boiler, central or geothermal system, you must make sure the unit is ready to operate efficiently. Before the need for heat arises, have your unit serviced and cleaned. By contacting a professional technician, the unit can be inspected and cleaned thoroughly. The technician will be able to determine if there is a repair need at this time and take care of the issue. Without regular servicing, you may go to turn on your unit and then realize it does not work properly. This will mean you will be without heat when the cold weather arrives and your home will not be cozy and warm as you need it to be.
Additional Heating
If the climate in your area is very cold, seeing temperatures drop into the teens and below, you may want to consider additional heating sources. Space heaters and fireplaces are great alternatives. If you have a working fireplace in the home, be sure to have plenty of firewood or gas to make the fireplace operational. Space heaters are another source of heat that is easily obtainable. New units can cost from $10 to $100 or more depending on the size and material type. Ceramic heaters are a popular choice as they provide warming heat for small spaces and have little cost as well as provide an element of safety.
Warming Tricks
As a new home owner, you can also learn tips and tricks to keep the home warm during the winter. After cooking supper, open the oven and let the heat escape for added heat in the kitchen area. Add layers to your bedding for cozy comfort and an additional layer of warmth in the bedroom. Run the dryer at night to provide a little extra warmth and provide warm clothes for the family. Enjoy a warm beverage such as coffee or hot cocoa to warm up your body and give you the extra boost you need to be comfortable.
Taking these steps will allow you to be comfortable once the winter season arrives and are easy to do each and every year!
HI Tiffany,
Great article. I just bought a nice home on the lake this summer. I failed to realize that my beautiful gigantic yard was going to be a huge taking on for me since I have Fibromyalgia. It’s winter here in Michigan now and the leaves are still laying in the yard. Ooooops! I am going to have them mowed up in the spring at this point. Next year, I will be much better prepared.
Thanks for sharing the tips. I also love to open the oven up after I cook to spread the warmth and smells of the kitchen foods and heat.
Irish