“He’s nipping at your nose. You can feel him in your toes. A shiver and a tear. Let’s you know Jack Frost is here.” As the beloved song goes, the frost season is indeed here! Your furnace should be ready for this season, and your home should be prepped in such a way that will allow it to run at its best capacity. However, if you haven’t got to it yet, don’t worry! Your Chillicothe Heating & Cooling family compiled a list of ways to help you breeze through the process of winterizing your home!
Change Out Your Filters
Let’s start with the easiest step. Change those furnace filters! It’s as simple as that. A dirty filter will clog airflow, thus making the furnace work overtime. Keep in mind; filters need to be changed about every two months. So remember to check it and change the filter out as necessary throughout the winter season.
Fill Any Cracks, Gaps, or Holes
On to the next – inspect your house for any gaps and cracks on the outside and the inside. Neglected holes will allow all that warm air your furnace is working to push to escape from your home. The goal is to keep it inside your home where it can keep you and your family nice and toasty. Next, move on to inspecting the doors, windows, and any hose faucets outside. Should you find any gaps that need to be filled, use high-quality materials to fill them.
Add Extra Insulation If Necessary
Proper insulation is key to a well winterized home. Attics and crawl spaces should have 10-14 layers of insulation stored in them. If you suspect the air in your home isn’t staying in your house, this is something you want to look into. For example, suppose your furnace is constantly running. This could be due to a lack of insulation. A furnace will keep running because it is trying to make up for that lost air that keeps escaping out of your home.
Clean Out the Fireplace
Don’t overlook the fireplace. It is common for small animals to build their nests inside a fireplace during the spring and summer. Then, winter rolls around, and we tend to forget to check before using the fireplace. This would be a hazard, so remember to clean your fireplace before using it for the first time. Creosote buildup is another hazard. We recommend having a service professional clean your chimney before using it the first time.
Use Pipe Insulation
Can you imagine what a disaster it would be if your pipes froze and then burst out of nowhere? It would be utter chaos, and the damage would be undeniable! That’s why when it comes to your plumbing in the winter, you want to stay more than several steps ahead. Keep track of the weather and know when the temperature will drop below freezing. Water freezes when it expands. So an easy way to lessen the chances of this happening is by wrapping your pipes with insulation. You can also do this to the hose spigots outside.
Chillicothe Heating & Cooling would love to help you and your family get through the winter comfortable. Stay out of the cold and in the warmth of your home! We hope these five tips have helped launch the process of properly winterizing your home. If you are still experiencing problems with your home not staying heated, feel free to call us today!
Call Chillicothe Heating & Cooling today at (740) 281-2186, or click here to schedule an appointment now!