Is your St. Louis area home ready to take on old man winter this year? Even if you have an efficiently running furnace, there might be parts of your home that are causing it to work harder than it needs to. By winterizing your home with these helpful tips, you can block out the cold winter air and kick those high heating bills to the curb.
How to winterize your home:
- Have your furnace inspected by a professional. Energy savings starts with an efficiently running furnace. Before the cold months hit, be sure to have yours inspected by a trained technician to ensure that it runs at peak performance when it’s working the hardest this year.
- Weatherstrip your windows and doors. Your windows and doors are the places in your home that run the biggest risk of letting cold air inside. By weatherstripping them around their perimeters, you can seal off air leaks and keep the warm air in and the cold air out.
- Make sure your home is properly insulated. A little insulation can go a long way in keeping the temperature of your home under control. The most important places to check for proper insulation are your attic, crawlspace, and basement.
- Seal off any air leaks. Besides your windows and doors, there might be other areas in your home with cracks that let in outside air. The next time we have a windy day, check for air leaks in every room of your house by lighting a match or incense and seeing if the smoke wavers. If it does, you probably have an air leak that you can seal off with caulk.
- Close off your fireplace flue. If your fireplace flue is open, your chimney is sucking out warm air from your home all day long. Make sure to close it off when it’s not in use.
- Open your drapes during the day. You can use the natural warmth of the sun to help warm up your house. During the day, keep your drapes open to let that warmth in – especially on your south-facing windows.
If you have any questions about winterizing your home or would like to have your home inspected by one of our NATE certified technicians, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your HVAC contractor in St. Louis, MO, and surrounding areas.
