Tips to Winterize Your Home

Winter is fast approaching. Follow these tips to winterize your home now. It is time to get ready for the cold weather that is coming.

1) Make sure that your home is properly insulated. If it hasn't been done yet you need to insulate your walls and the attic. This will help you to conserve energy and it will reduce the amount it takes to heat your home.

2) Have your heating system checked by a professional each year. If you heat by wood make sure that you clean your fireplace or stove, check your chimney flue for any buildup of creosote birds' nest and other items and then have it cleaned to lessen the risk of fire.

3) You should also caulk and weather-strip your doors and windowsills to keep the cold air out.

4) Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside. This provides an extra layer of insulation and keeps more cold air out.

5) Inspect and flush your water heater. If you do not how to this, it is a easy task to do

A) Do not shut off the gas, electric or the water supply to the heater.

B) Attach a garden hose to the drain cock which is located at the bottom of the heater. The drain cock looks like a regular garden faucet or a round dial with a threaded hole in the middle. Simply screw the garden hose on.

C) Extend the garden hose to a place where the water can safely exit the heater such as a drain, bathtub or out a window.

D) Open the drain cock to let the water exit the heater.

E) After five minutes of flushing then fill a bucket with the still flushing water.

F) Allow the water that is in the bucket to stand undisturbed for a minute or two and see if the water is clear or if it has any sand like material that settles to the bottom. If the water is clear and there is no sand like material observed then go on to step G. If the water is discolored or sand like material is observed at the bottom of your bucket then repeat steps E and F again until the flush water is completely clear and free of discoloration or sediments.

G) Close the drain cock and remove the garden hose.

6) Replace batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

7) Clean your gutters of leaves and other debris. If you do not this will prevent drainage.

8) Wrap your water pipes in insulation and heating tape.

These tips to winterize your home will not only make your home warmer they will also help to avoid any costly mishaps.