How much work is involved in winterizing your home? Leaves changing and cooler fall temperature are the signal to begin preparing your home for winter. In moderate climates, some of these measures are performed but certainly not all of them. As freezing temperatures are not something property owners have to deal with. If you enjoy and live in an area like Colorado, we appreciate the four seasons and are presented with a number of winter weather challenges as homeowners.
Winter Time in Colorado
The first and glaringly obvious task to perform would be to inspect the overall health of your furnace system. There are a myriad of disasters that can occur that are related to furnace failure, some of which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and that is freezing water pipes. This is probably the most expensive problem related to furnace failure, however there are others. Two simple, relatively expensive measures you can take to preserve the life and health of your heating system are to have an HVAC specialist inspect the system and clean the ducts. Also, purchase several extra filters for the furnace and change them monthly.
If your home has a fireplace in conjunction with the furnace, checking the flu and having a professional clean the chimney is essential to correct operation. It is as toxic substances build up from burning fuel over time. And can emit both odors and unhealthy, undetected agents into the air as well as increasing the risk of fire.
Inspect doors and windows for the condition of surrounding weather stripping and caulking. This is not only important to preserve their lifespan and serviceability but to save money in home heating costs. Doors and windows are the two most likely places heat can quickly escape and sub-zero drafts can make their way in, driving up not only the cost of heating but taxing the heating system, as well.
Other important winterizing prep includes:
- Roof inspection for the overall condition, missing or cracked shingles that can allow water seapage; check flashing; clean out the gutters of all debris.
- Check home exterior and foundation for any cracks and remove edible vegetation that might attract rodents and insects; secure crawlspace entrances.
- Know where your water main is in the event of an emergency; make sure you disconnect garden hoses for the year and drain air conditioner pipes.
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Shutting your home up for the winter makes the living area of a home more susceptible to concentrations of both and the detectors are crucial for maintaining your health as well as your home over winter.
