With fall and cool weather here, hopefully you have begun preparing the outside of your home for winter. But that is only half the task. The other is preparing the inside of your home for winter. Here are some tips:
- Have your furnace checked. You will want your furnace to be ready for the frigid winter. A furnace inspection and tune-up will ensure your unit is ready for winter. It can also reveal whether there are issues that might warrant getting a new heating system.
- Invest in a Wi-Fi programmable thermostat. This thermostat can be programmed to lower the temperature when you are not home or are asleep and raise it when you are up and about in your home. They also can be programmed from your mobile phone or tablet when you are anywhere with Wi-Fi access.
- Try to set your thermostat a few degrees cooler to save on utilities. If you do get chilly, put on an extra layer of clothing when you are awake and cover yourself with an extra blanket at night.
- To further increase the efficiency of your HVAC system, make sure there is no furniture blocking vents in rooms you use, and close vents in rooms you don’t use.
- Set your ceiling fans to go counterclockwise to force warm air down.
- If you have a humidifier, clean it and replace the water panel. If you don’t have a humidifier, consider purchasing one to keep your home’s humidity at an acceptable level.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Winter is a good time to test these potentially life-saving products to make sure they are working properly. It is also a good time to change the batteries on all of your CO and smoke detectors.
- Seal doors and windows. Those tiny cracks and crevices can let cold air in, making your home cold and uncomfortable, and driving up heating costs. So, add weather stripping to doors and caulk any gaps.
- Shades and drapes and blinds. Close shades, drapes and blinds at night to help keep cold air out. But open them during the day to let the sunshine (when it shines) warm your home and give your furnace a rest.
- Protect your pipes. Insulate pipes in unheated areas such as your garage, attic and basement. Also, if accessible, insulate any other pipes that are exposed to outer walls.
- Cover your water heater. Water heater insulation blankets can prevent your water heater from losing heat. They cost as little as $25, and you will make that up in lower heating bills.
- Install attic insulation. This will keep your home warmer in the winter (and cooler in the summer).
- Finally, for those extra frigid days:
- Keep cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around water pipes exposed to exterior walls, helping to prevent those pipes from freezing and bursting.
- Let the faucets trickle to keep the water flowing, especially those connected to pipes that run through unheated or unprotected places.
Contact Ravinia Plumbing, Sewer, Heating & Electric about Our Quality Home Services
Ravinia Plumbing can help you prepare the inside of your home for cold weather this winter in several ways, from maintaining your furnace to installing Wi-Fi thermostats and more. We’ve been in business since 1928, and we’ve made a name for ourselves as one of the most trusted and reliable plumbing, sewer, heating and air conditioning, and electrical companies in Chicagoland. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
