Whether you live in a new home which requires less effort in order to winterize, or an old house that’s brimming with potential cold drafts, it’s smart to perform seasonal home maintenance to improve energy efficiency in your house.
Use the following helpful checklist in order to save money and energy... and keep your home warm and safe.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Windows and Doors
- Make sure caulking around all doors and windows is sufficient to minimize loss of heat.
- Check all window and door locks for proper operation: lubricate locks or hinges if necessary.
- Add weatherstripping to exterior doors to ensure tight seal.
- Use draft stoppers under doorways to prevent drafts.
- If windows are especially drafty, install window insulation kits, which are available at home improvement stores.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Heating and Cooling
- Upgrade to a programmable digital thermostat; lower heat in middle of night and mid-day.
- Replace your furnace filter at least once every season; clean and vacuum furnace filter area.
- Have a heating professional check your heating system annually.
- Avoid frozen pipes by insuring no pipes run outdoors; insulate pipes in cold areas.
- Vacuum all air registers.
- Ensure insulation in cellar, attic and around pipes is adequate: upgrade if necessary.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Plumbing
- Check for gaps in the caulk around bathroom fixtures. Properly sealing the space between tub, toilet, sink and your flooring material prevents damage to your subfloor.
- Clear out sink drains in kitchen and all bathrooms.
- Check water heater for leaks; insulate if necessary.
- Check all pipes for water leaks.
- Check dehumidifier, or add one. Hook up piping to sump pump or drain for moisture removal.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Chimney Maintenance
- Have certified chimney professional check all chimneys and wood stoves annually.
- Remove any bird nests from flues or other outdoor areas such as lighting fixtures near the house.
- Make sure all chimneys are well insulated.
- Use fans to circulate heat from fireplaces to other rooms.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Outdoors
- Clean all exterior gutters. Check for ice in winter.
- Shut off any outdoor hoses at their indoor source: store hoses inside. Allow faucet to drain. Insulate faucet area if winters are especially cold.
- Wrap any window unit air conditioners in airtight covers or remove units and seal windows.
- Check roof flashing; caulk if necessary.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Home Safety
- Review fire escape plan with your family.
- Replace carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries.
- Test your emergency generator.
- Replace flashlight batteries.
- Make sure all stairways are lighted.
Although there are many more seasonal home maintenance tips that can ensure you reduce energy consumption and save home heating costs, the checklist above is a great start! Encourage all family members to participate in checking your home for cold weather; this helps children understand the importance of saving energy.
Here are some great homeowner tips websites to check out.
Keep warm!
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For more tips on seasonal home maintenance, you can visit the following website:
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