You can help your finances and your health by preparing for the winter season with a home winterization checklist. Here are essential home winterization tips to help you achieve energy savings.
Invest in Winterization Tools and Methods
Just by purchasing a snow shovel or a rake, you can take care of removing snow or leaves by yourself, ideally before the snowfall season arrives. It would help if you also bought caulk or weatherstripping for draft areas around doors or windows. Another consideration is buying sealant to protect your deck. The filter in your furnace will need to be replaced from time to time, too. It is a good idea to have your furnace inspected periodically by an HVAC expert, so you know it works properly and efficiently.
Your winterization investment may include hiring a roofer to install lead guards that prevent environmental debris such as leaves from covering the gutters. The gutters and downspouts should be inspected and cleaned before winter. A roofing expert can tell you if your gutters need tightening or if your shingles are damaged and need to be replaced.
Home Winterization Tips
- Make sure the furnace filter is replaced periodically.
- Close any vents still open from the summer.
- Remove hoses from outdoor faucets and keep the water off.
- Store canned food and water in the event of a natural disaster.
- Test your heating system prior to winter to ensure it works.
Why You Need Inspections
Every home has its unique characteristics, which can be confusing to a homeowner. Working with certified and trained professionals such as roofers will ensure installation jobs are done right the first time. An experienced inspector will check the entire home, including the attic and basement, to ensure the home has sufficient insulation.
A professional inspector will go through the whole checklist for home winterization. Feeling around electrical outlets will help determine if your home needs better insulation. While you can check yourself if there are gaps around doors or windows, you will need a professional roofer if any work needs to be done on the roof. The roofer can check and clean your chimney and other roofing components.
Any type of cracks in your roof, walls, or structure is a cause for concern. But as a homeowner, you should not try to fix every problem on your own. In cases that require safety precautions, such as inspecting the roof, you need experienced professionals who have the proper tools, insurance, and training. Leaks can grow over time, so a professional inspector should check your roof at least once per year.
You will also need a heating expert to tell you if your entire HVAC system is working correctly. The climate of your region will impact how far you should go to winterize your home. Places hit by snow will require more winterization layers than in warmer areas. Making sure inspections are completed before winter will help prevent high energy bills.
Keeping Air Out Around Windows
One of the most important areas in winterizing your home is making sure cold air does not enter your home while warm air escapes around windows. This factor can make a big difference in energy costs, especially for older homes. It can also impact how comfortable your home feels.
The cost of this kind of weatherstripping is around $250, but each home is different. Some windows are so old they need to be replaced, while others just need a little caulk around the windows to ensure weatherproofing. If you want a more modern solution that delivers high energy efficiency, consider getting double-paned windows.
Home winterization is an important key to managing your energy costs and keeping your home warm during the winter season. The insurance professionals at
Kneller Agencyare here to help with valuable home insurance ideas to minimize your homeowners insurance premium. For all of your
home insurance requirements,
contact our insurance experts today.
