Prep Your Home for Winter With These Tips

Alabama weather is crazy, isn’t it? One minute the suns shining and it’s 70 degrees and the next we’re barely pushing 20 degrees with sleet in the forecast. But we know one thing to be true - it’s time to winterize your home.

Here are a few tips to prepare your home for winter.

The time to winterize is now.
Is it fall or is it winter? We never know in Alabama. So after summer officially ends, you should take steps to prepare your home for colder weather. Thinking ahead and winterizing your home can not produce a lower energy bill but also bypass any problems that come from sudden freezes such as burst pipes, etc.

Check for leaks.
Cracks in walls plus spaces around windows and under doors can have a huge impact on your power bill, especially in the winter. Make sure to check for leaks throughout your home, especially where different building materials meet. You can even hire a certified professional who can do thorough energy efficiency testing but there are also a few tests you can do on your own. For example, shut a door or window on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the dollar bill out, you’ve likely got a window air leak that needs to be addressed. Find more tips on home energy efficiency testing on Energy.gov.

Check your windows. 
Adding storm windows or replacing existing windows with a new double-pane or another high-efficiency model is a great way to winterize your home. Sure, there’s going to be an initial cost but you’ll save big in the long run and up the value of your home.

Reverse the spin.
Did you know you should adjust the spin of your ceiling fans according to the season? During the cooler seasons, reverse the spin of your ceiling fan to clockwise. This pushes warm air that has risen back down into the room without the drafty breeze. 

Don’t forget your pipes. 
Protecting your pipes is essential. Will all these sudden freezes, you never know when a pipe might burst. Make sure to wrap uninsulated water pipes with fiberglass insulation or rubber sleeves to prevent a burst pipe. And remember to cover outdoor spigots and leave indoor faucets dripping any time a hard freeze is predicted.