Prepare Your Home For Nippy Autumn Weather

With winter on its way, you need to make sure that your home is prepared for cold weather. Here are some tips that will help keep you and your family cozy while keeping heating costs low.

• Stop Drafts: Use weatherstripping to keep warm air inside and cold air out.
• Insulate Your Pipes: This will prevent freezing that can cause your water lines to crack – a very expensive accident.
• Use Alternate Energy Sources: These are commonly the most energy-efficient methods.
• Dress Warmer: If you are dressed warmly, you won’t need to crank your furnace as much.
• Program Your Thermostat: Set a schedule that accommodates your daily schedule to reduce the amount of work your heating equipment goes through.
• Use an Energy Monitor: These help you keep track of how much energy you are using and when you are using more than normal.
• Run Ceiling Fans In Reverse: When fans run clockwise, they push warm air back down into your rooms.
• Drain Outdoor Hoses: This will help prevent freezes in the hose as well as the pipes going toward the house.
• Hire a Reputable HVAC Contractor: Partner with a reputable service professional who can ensure that the job gets done right the first time.
• Seal Ductwork: You can lose up to 30 percent of the warm air your furnace generates before it ever reaches your home because of leaky ducts.
• Change Your Furnace Filter: Keeping this fresh can have a major impact on your home’s overall efficiency.
• Add Insulation: Use this map to determine how much insulation you should have in your attic to help block out the cold temperatures.
• Take Advantage of Tax Credits: Rebates and similar offers can make an upgrade to more efficient heating and cooling equipment more affordable. The savings new equipment provide can help offset the cost.
• Schedule a Service Check: Have an HVAC contractor inspect your heating equipment for problems and ensure it’s running optimally.

For even more tips on preparing your home, contact Blanton’s Heating & A/Ctoday. We have proudly served the Fayetteville area since 1951.