Winterizing your Belclaire home

We’ve already experienced a few days below-freezing temperature this Fall. So, now is a good time to winter-proof your Belclaire home before that cold weather returns. We found some easy and inexpensive tips from Candy’s Dirt to make the process stress-free as possible.

1. Drain and insulate your water heater. After a while, sediment can collect at the bottom and make it less effective.
2. Pay attention to your pipes. Water expands when it freezes and can cause your pipes to burst, leading to flooding and severe water damage. Fortunately, pipe insulation is inexpensive and available at most hardware stores.
3. Clean your gutters. This will prevent ice dams from forming and causing water damage to your roof.
4. Switch your ceiling fan’s direction. In the winter, it’s best to have your ceiling fan moving clockwise. This will push warm air down into the room.
5. Eliminate air leaks to ensure a warm house and lower heating bills. You can do this by closing your fireplace damper when not in use, replacing your weather stripping on your doors and caulking your windows.
6. Change your furnace filters monthly during cold months. Dirty filters allow less air to pass through, making heating bills higher.
7. Get a programmable thermostat. You save 1-3% on your heating bill for every degree you lower your thermostat during the winter. A programmable thermostat makes that easy by automatically lowering your home’s temperature at night and while you are away.

Winterizing your home is an important part of protecting your investment and saving money. Plus, nobody wants to be cold during the holidays!