5 Steps to Preparing Your Home for Winter
Posted on October 29th, 2015 by Devine Bros
Brace yourself, winter is coming.
The reference may have come from Game of Thrones, but you don’t need to be a fan of the show to notice the cold weather. With temperatures in Norwalk, Connecticut recently dropping into the 30s (and 20s!!!) overnight, it is clear that winter is right around corner.
Here are five ways to get your house prepared:
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Seal air leaks around the home. Simple air leaks around the house can reduce your heating efficiency by up to 30%. Grab a caulking gun and some weatherstripping and set off to seal the leaks in your home – common problem spots include windows, doors, and areas where two surfaces meet: such as corners, chimneys, and piping.
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Install storm doors and windows. Have you ever heard the expression “throwing money out the window”? Well that’s exactly what you are doing during the winter months, when heat from your home escapes through poorly insulated windows and doors. Put down your glass storm windows to add an extra layer of insulation and help prevent heat loss.
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Clean your rain gutters. Not all of the leaves that fall from the trees end up in your lawn – a lot of them get lodged in your rain gutters. If you don’t clean them out before winter, they can prevent melting snow from draining away from your roof, which can lead to ice dams and ceiling leaks.
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Reverse your ceiling fans. Did you know that most ceiling fans allow you to change the direction of the blades? There is typically a switch at the base to do this – set it to counterclockwise during the summer, and clockwise during the colder months.
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Have your heating system serviced. Take the time to get your heating system serviced now so that it doesn’t break down in the middle of a cold snap. A professional technician should come to your house to clean, test, and lubricate the various components of your furnace to help it run more efficiently and prevent future breakdowns.
Residents of Fairfield County can depend on Devine Bros. to keep warm all winter long! We offer a variety of heating services to homeowners in the Norwalk, Connecticut area such as oil delivery and heating equipment installation and repairs. Visit our website for more information or call us at 203-866-4421.