And just like that, Thanksgiving has come and gone. With Old Man Winter knocking on the door, it might be a good idea for you and your family to start thinking about getting your home ready for colder temperatures. To help you get started, we’ve provided a list of tips, courtesy of the Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh (BAMP) for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Here’s to a mild winter!
10 Tips for Winterizing Your Home
- Check for gaps in insulation or crawl spaces that expose pipes to cold air and the risk of freezing and bursting.
- Get your heating system checked by a licensed technician before cold weather requires daily use.
- Block drafts around doors, windows, and baseboards with weather stripping, window film and caulk to control heat loss.
- Install storm doors and windows to improve energy-efficiency and eliminate drafts.
- Get chimneys cleaned by an experienced chimney sweep to prevent the risk of a fire from build-up or blockages.
- Spray door locks with powdered-graphite lubricant to prevent freezing and sticking.
- Flush the water heater to get rid of built up sediment that affects efficiency.
- Check smoke detector batteries and install carbon monoxide detectors.
- Inspect the dryer vent for debris.
- Set ceiling fans to rotate clockwise to push rising warm air back towards the floor.
In addition to the aforementioned, BAMP also recommends taking some time in the fall to plan and schedule remodeling projects for the spring by doing some research and meeting with a design team.
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To save time and money on your next DIY maintenance project, check out all of Rent It Today’s tool rentals. We even offer heavy equipment rentals for larger projects.
