When the cold season comes, there are always certain things you can do to help your home survive the winter for another year. Auto adjusting thermostats, heater tune ups, and attic fans are all great contributions, but for the real energy savers, scroll down the list to find out. Here are some ideas aimed at saving you money over the colder months.
Reverse your Ceiling Fan
It sounds downright silly to some, but simply reversing the flow of your ceiling fan can actually keep your home warmer, especially if you have a tall ceiling in one room. This is due to the fact that a reversed fan blade can drop the warm air in the room. Warm air rises naturally, and all it takes is a fan singing the other way to keep it down. You may notice this technique practiced by a lot of ski resorts.
Protect Against Ice Dams
Many homes with large amounts of snow on their roof can potentially suffer from ice dams. Ice dams form when heat from an attic is enough to melt the bottom layer of ice and snow, but it’s still cold enough out to re-freeze in the gutters. This causes massive ice buildup in and around your gutters, trapping melting water in your home. In turn this causes damage to the structural integrity of your home and must be repaired immediately.
Windows and Doors should be Insulated
“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again." -Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
Equally important for maintaining the heat throughout your home is to make sure your doors and windows are properly insulated. This can include caulking around the units for an added extra strength as well, especially should the gaps around your windows be bigger than the side of a nickel. If your windows and doors are older models, it may become time to consider replacing them, as newer models can pay for their own installation over time.
Little Odds and Ends
Other exterior work can completely benefit your home. This are the small tasks and odd jobs that most homeowners aren’t aware of. There are always a few jobs to do around the home, and some of those include:
- Cleaning gutters
- Mulching leaves
- Diverting water (drainpipes)
- Shut off exterior pipes
- Drain irrigation system
- Stow mower
- Old/new gas
- Test sump pump
- Sweep chimney
So stay prepared this winter season and get the most out of your home’s capabilities. Not only will this protect you, your home, and your family from the cold, but it will also save you some money as well. So jump into the game and start winterizing your home before the deep freeze happens.
