How to Winterize Your Home to Protect From the Elements

Winter is a time when many homeowners turn up the heat to stay warm. Winterizing prevents air leaks and ensures that the home HVAC system runs efficiently. From pipes to windows, here's what homeowners need to know to keep a house warm and cozy and to keep your Sitka home from sustaining any significant damage from the cold.

Seal Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are a common source of drafts and air leaks. Sealing windows and doors at the beginning of the winter helps keep warm air inside and cold air outside. Use weatherstripping to seal the cracks between the windows, doors and their frames. Use plastic to seal windows that continue to leak air, or install storm windows.

Program Your Thermostat

In the evening after work, most homeowners want their house to be pleasantly warm. When it's time for bed, the temperature indoors can be cooler. Homeowners who program their thermostat to lower the temperature at night can save money on their energy bills, while also reducing the burden on their HVAC system.

Insulate Pipes

Pipe insulation protects pipes from cold air, thus preventing them freezing when outside temperatures drop. Pipe insulation is easy for homeowners to install without help from a contractor. This type of insulation comes in long tubes that wrap easily around pipes.

The inside is self-adhesive. To install the insulation, the homeowner simply cuts it down to the right size, removes the adhesive strip and wraps it around the pipe. Pipe insulation is most valuable on pipes that line exterior walls and on pipes located in unheated parts of the house.

Change Your HVAC Air Filter

The HVAC filter is located between the return air duct and the HVAC air handler. To change the filter, open the little door that covers the filter, then pull the old filter out. Use the old filter to find a new filter at a local hardware store, then insert the new filter in the same place where the old filter was just removed. Replacing the air filter every three months helps keep the HVAC system running smoothly through the winter.

If you're looking for more ways to make your home more energy efficient in the weeks leading up to winter, contact an experienced contractor or an energy auditor. Have your house inspected for more ways that you can make your home more energy efficient.