Early winter preparations can help you to feel comfortable at home during winter. Winter preparation activities like weatherproofing your doors and windows and finding a propane home delivery service can help make your home more efficient during winter. Here are a few steps you can take to prepare your home for the winter:
Check Your Furnace
Most people keep their furnaces running throughout winter, so maintenance is necessary to keep them working efficiently throughout the cold season. Hire an HVAC contractor to inspect your heating system for anything that may keep it from operating efficiently. The contractor may check whether you need to change the filters. They may check if the burners work well, inspect the thermostat, and replace any damaged parts.
Insulate Your Home
Without proper insulation, your home may lose a lot of energy through cracks and openings in the attic and gaps in doors and windows. A simple way to check for drafts in doors and windows is to hold a lit candle near a door or window. If the flame flickers, you have a drafty door or window.
Use weather stripping around door and window frames to seal drafts. If you have a drafty attic, add filler insulation to the existing insulation to prevent drafts. Use white or paintable caulk to fill gaps between your baseboards.
Clean Your Fireplace and Chimney
If you use your fireplace frequently, annual maintenance and inspection are necessary to keep it safe to use. Hire a chimney sweep to clean your fireplace and chimney before the winter. Cleaning removes soot that may have built up from frequent use. While cleaning, the chimney sweep may identify areas that need repair.
Insulate Your Pipes
Any pipes in your home that run along the walls or unheated areas are vulnerable during winter. When it is too frigid, water inside the pipes may freeze and can sometimes cause pipe bursts. You can prevent this problem by insulating exposed pipes.
Pipe wraps are a simple tool for insulating your water pipes. You can wrap your pipes with heating tape to keep the ice at bay. Foam sleeves are an excellent insulation option for longer pipes. Sealing your crawl space also reduces the cold surrounding your water pipes.
Try Propane Home Delivery Services
Your home’s fuel needs will likely increase during the winter. If you have a propane furnace, top off your propane tank to avoid running out of gas during wintertime. If most of your appliances use propane, it helps to have a propane home delivery service on call in case you run out of gas unexpectedly.
Find a local delivery service for faster deliveries. Most delivery services also inform you about proper tank maintenance and safety tips. Before signing up for a service, read the terms and conditions to verify that you are getting the best deal.
Clean Your Gutters
Leaves and debris on gutters get wet during winter and may freeze into a giant mass. The weight from that mass could cause your gutters to collapse. Wet debris on gutters may also encourage mold growth. Clean your gutters by yourself if you are not afraid of heights. Get a tall ladder and work gloves and scoop out all the debris on your gutters.
If this is something you are unable to do on your own, hire a professional to do the job. A professional can quickly and efficiently clean your gutters and may repair any damaged areas while at it.
Seal Exterior Wood Surfaces
The wet winter weather may take a toll on unsealed exterior wood surfaces in your home. The wood trim around doors and windows may be vulnerable to deterioration during winter. Go around your home and inspect all the exterior wood surfaces with paint and caulk. If the paint has chips or the caulk is cracking, scrape them away and repaint and recaulk all the surfaces to prevent wood rot.
Prepare Your Home for Winter Today
Preparing your home for winter in advance can keep you from dealing with last-minute home emergencies. Finding a propane home delivery service to cater to all your fuel needs during winter can be helpful as you do not want to run out of gas when you need it most. With the right preparation, you can be prepared for any kind of winter weather.
