Team Marty Pospischil - Winterize your HomeThe air is getting colder, Halloween is approaching and families are starting to turn on their furnaces to enjoy the longer autumn nights. Even though Winter is a officially 2 months away it’s best to prepare for it well in advance – especially when it comes to saving on your Hydro bill. Mid October is the best time to winterize your home because there are still some sunny days to get the outdoor work done.

On behalf of Team Marty Pospischil we put together these 5 tips for making your home more energy efficient and keeping your home warm.

5 Tips to Winterize your Home

Leaks
Nobody likes a cold draft in the middle of winter. Now’s the time to run your hands along doors that are on an exterior wall to see if you can feel any cold air coming in. You can do the same practice for baseboards and even on electrical outlets that are on exterior walls. If you feel any air coming in through your outlets we recommend purchasing some small insulation inserts from your home improvement store.

Windows
This is an especially good tactic for those that have single-pane windows. The next time you’re at the home improvement store purchase a window insulation kit which consists of plastic sheeting and double sided tape. Run a strip of tape along the outside perimeter of the window and stick the plastic to the tape and use a hair dryer to shrink wrap the plastic sheeting around the window’s perimeter.

Pipes and Gutters
Now is the time to mind your gutters because they can become clogged with the fallen leaves. This creates build up in your gutter and can lead to ice dams, which can cause water to back up, freeze and seep into your home. Next, make sure your gutters, pipes and downspouts are aligned to provide a clear path with no holes or debris. Do this by running water from your hose into your gutter and following the flow of water and ensure the downspouts are disbursing the water a fair distance away from the foundation.

Furnace
Since you’ll be depending on your furnace for the majority of your heat it’s recommend to make sure its operating at peak performance. We recommend changing the furnace filter at least once a year but twice a year is optimal for increased energy efficiency. Scheduling a professional furnace cleaning and inspection can also reduce your heating costs as your furnace will now burn cleaner and save energy.

Reverse the Fan
We saved the best for last because this tip is absolutely painless and quick to implement with instant results. By reversing your ceiling fan from its normal summer position you can recirculate the warm air that rises. In the winter your ceiling fans should be turning clockwise.

We hope you found these tips useful for winterizing  your home. Whether you’re buying or selling real estate, feel free to contact Team Marty Pospischil with any real estate related questions.