Simple Fixes to Prepare Your House for the Cold and Save Money

When temperatures begin to drop outside inevitably the temperature inside will drop too and utility bills will go up and things can go wrong with the cold temperatures. With few simple fixes around your house your can prepare your house for the cold and keep preventable repair cost down while keeping your utility bills low.

Inspect and clean your fireplace - Your fireplace should typically be inspected and cleaned at least once a year if you use it during the season. Having your fireplace inspected and cleaned out every year can prevent costly and very dangerous problems that can arise from built up creosote in the chimney.

Drain and put away hoses - If you live in a cold winter climate or anywhere it drops below freezing detach all your hoses, let them drain and put them away for the season. Turn off the valve to your outside faucets and then open up the faucets to let them drain the excess water. This will prevent your faucets from freezing and possibly bursting during freezing temperatures.

Reverse ceiling fans - Every ceiling fan has a small switch to reverse the direction of the fan blades (consult your manual for the location on your specific fan.) Reversing the direction of the blades of the fan so the air will circulate up instead of down will help circulate the heat better and lower heating cost.

Roof inspection - If you live in a windy area or an area prone to storms in the spring and summer getting a roof inspection before winter storms hit can save you money on costly repairs. Most roof companies offer free inspections. Getting your roof inspected and fixed ahead of time can be very beneficial. If you have ever tried to get a roofer to come out after your roof starts leaking you know how beneficial a pre-inspection can be.

Inspect heating system - Having your heating system inspected yearly can save you money in the long run and prevent costly problems in the middle of the coldest part of the season. Also, make sure you replace or clean your system filter. Most systems have filters that need to be replaced but some, such as electrostatic, need to be vacuumed and/or hosed off instead of replaced.

Replacing or cleaning your filter will prevent problems in your system and lighten the load on your system keeping your heating cost down.

Fix drafts - Even small amounts of cold air can contribute to the drop of temperature in your home and add up cost on your heating bill. An easy way to check windows and doors is to get a long lit match or incense and move it very slowly around the edges of the windows and doors of your house. If the smoke or flame blows you have a draft. Seal it up with caulking or a weather stripping cut to fit.

For an even more tighter seal, to keep the chill out, purchase window shrink-wrap film at your local home improvement store. It's a clear plastic film that, with the use of a hair dryer, covers and seals your window to keep drafts out. It can be fun to watch it shrink tightly to your windows and it can easily be removed when the season ends.