One home improvement that not many people think of is winterizing their home. This is something important that you should do to protect your home from the adverse effects a harsh winter can cause. It is not a task that can be done overnight but may require a couple of weeks, but it all depends on how extensive e the work will be. The first thing that you need to do is make a list of all the winterizing tasks you need to complete to make sure that you do not miss anything.
One of the most important and crucial home improvement winterizing tasks is to check the insulation in the home.
• To insulate the switch plates and exterior outlets use inexpensive foam sealing gaskets
• You can insulate the hot water tank by using an insulating blanket. You can find these at most home improvement and hardware stores
• If you have a fireplace cut out a piece of fiberglass insulation and stuff it behind the glass doors to block the cold air that descends from the chimney
• Check the attic insulation because this is what will keep the heat inside the house and prevent it from leaving. Check carefully each designated attic insulation location to make sure that it is correctly fixed.
Another home improvement winterizing task is making sure that the heating and cooling system is in good working order. Nothing is worse than waking up on a cold winter morning with no heat. Before winter arrives, you should have your furnace checked by a professional to make sure everything is in good working order. They will check the condition of the air filter, the heating vents, and make sure there are no carbon monoxide leaks. At least once a month you should change the filter. Make sure the air condition unit is free of debris and cover the condensing unit. If you have a chimney make sure that it is free of unwanted material and check the chimney draft.
Seal the windows using rope caulk to keep out any drafts and to prevent the heat from escaping. Some people choose to tape plastic on the inside or outside of the windows to prevent heat from leaking to the outside and the cold from getting inside. You can also install weather-stripping on the doors where there is air leakage.
To help prevent pipes from freezing make sure that any exterior pipes are protected and insulated. There is even heated insulation that you can buy. You can also wrap them with electrical heating tape before you insulate them. Disconnect your garden hose. All of these home improvement tasks will help to winterize your home and help save on your electric bill.