Don’t get complacent when it comes to the encroaching cold, this winter. Keeping your home warm is important, as once the cold starts settling in, it can be difficult to get it back out again, and if not managed well, it can become a real health risk. Here, we’re going to look at how to shore up your defenses and protect your home from the many dangers of the cold this winter.
Insulate your home
First of all, we need to talk about the importance of keeping the heat in your home and to prevent it from escaping. Securing your boundary is all about insulation. First of all, check whether you have insulation in your walls and in your attic, and, if you don’t, see if you can get some help with adding it, as the state will provide funding for just that reason in a lot of places. Keep an eye and ear out for air gaps, too, especially in your doors and windows, and block them if they’re there.
Insular your pipes, too
Don’t forget that your pipes need some care, as well. Water freezes and expands, and if this happens to any lingering water in your pipes, then it can cause them to crack, or to burst when there is water suddenly running through them, which can cause extensive water damage. Insulating your pipes can stop this from happening.
Ensure effective heating
Of course, to prevent heat from escaping the home, you have to ensure that it’s able to heat effectively and efficiently in the first place. If you haven’t taken a look at your heating system in a while, it’s time to call a furnace repair technician.
They can service your heating to make sure that it’s running as expected, and fix any of the issues caused by wear and tear that accumulates over the years. If your heating isn’t working as expected, don’t let it linger, these problems can get exponentially worse if not addressed.
There’s nothing like a good fire
If you don’t have a fireplace and chimney in the home, then you can ignore this. But if you do, and you haven’t had a fire running all year, it’s important to clean out your chimney before you light up the fire. Otherwise, when you get a fire started, you could end up smoking yourself out of your own home.
Be mindful of ice, as well
With the cold comes snow and, perhaps even more dangerously, ice. First of all, be sure to check your exterior ground surfaces, whether you have a driveway, patio, or balcony, and keep some de-icer or natural grit at the ready so that you can avoid any slips and falls.
If you get a lot of ice, check the roof, as well, as ice dams can hang overhead, and can do real harm if they break and fall, not to mention cause issues when they start melting, including leaking through the roof.
Follow the tips above and you and your family will be sure to be a lot more protected from the cold, nasty weather that can be so prevalent this time of year.