Winterizing your home is never exactly an enjoyable process. There’s a lot of stuff you have to check on, and even when you get it all done you’re stuck with the knowledge in the back of your mind that winter is just around the corner – otherwise, why would you be doing all this?
But in your rush to get everything done before the snow starts to fall, there might be a few things you overlook or neglect that can come back to haunt you later on. If you want to avoid some of the more common winterization mistakes (ones that you might have made in the past!), then read on and get ready for the first snow!
Not Taking Care Of Your Outdoor Faucets:
Most people assume so long as their heaters are on, they’ll be okay when it comes to their pipes freezing. Sadly, this means most people are going to ignore their outdoor faucets, and that can lead to a huge expense (and potential basement damage) if they freeze and burst over the winter. The easiest way to prevent this is to remove your garden house, drain the faucet, then add a faucet protector to keep the cold air from getting into your pipes. (Don’t fret – these are only like $2 most places!)
Not Getting To Know Your Thermostat:
Most modern thermostats have a lot more options than people might expect, particularly if they’re only used to using it to regulate the air conditioning in their house. A lot of thermostats have programmable settings such as timers, temperature changes, and even individual rooms, which can save you a lot of money if you take the time to learn your settings and regulate your heat when you’re not home, or to rooms that you’re not going to use as often during the winter.
Not Bringing Stuff In From Outside:
We’ve all got some porch furniture, right? It’s real easy to keep stuff like wire shelving out by the grill, and some people even use living room furniture outside in place of more traditional yard furniture. This, however, can lead to problems if they’re not brought in over the winter, and you’d probably like to avoid replacing all of your furniture next year, right? Take your stuff back inside where it’s safe (or at least move it into the garage)!
Skipping Furnace Tune-Ups:
Most people assume they’re all set once they’ve bought a furnace, but these things don’t last forever. Get your furnace cleaned out and tuned up every once in awhile, replace the filter every three months, and try not to overwork it even when the snow is coming down.
Not Rotating Your Fans:
A lot of people don’t know this makes a difference, but you can actually change the direction of your ceiling fans to help regulate the flow of heat in your house. If you reverse your fan to blow clockwise, the air will blow downwards and pull warm air from near the ceiling to heat the rest of the house more easily, saving strain on your poor furnace.
BONUS SIXTH TIP: Not Moving Somewhere Warmer: Look, it’s worth considering, alright? We all have!