Many people look forward to the cooler months of the year. Not only does this mean that sweater weather is officially upon us, but some of the greatest holidays come along in the fall and winter months. However, decorating your home isn’t the only way you should be preparing for the changes in the seasons. To make sure your home is safe and sound as the temperatures start to drop, here are three tips for preparing your home for colder weather.
Brace Yourself For Blizzards
Regardless of where you live, there’s always a chance that the cooler months could bring harsh weather. In some places, snow (and lots of it) can accumulate through snow or ice storms. While these bring low temperatures, they can also wreak havoc with your home and its utilities. So if you know that you’re vulnerable to blizzards or other crazy winter weather, Gwen Moran, a contributor to HouseLogic.com, recommends making sure you have snow shovels and deicer available as well as an ample amount of blankets or other heating sources in case your power goes out. You should also try to keep food supplies on hand in case you need to hunker down for a few days in the snow.
Keep Out The Cold
If the cold weather can easily get into your home, it can cause you to spend a lot of extra money heating your house. So to save on utility costs over the winter months, you should do what you can to make sure you can keep the cold out. To best do this, Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore, contributors to HGTV.com, suggest preparing your plumbing to avoid burst pipes as well as sealing up any leaks in your windows or doors. If you feel cold air coming in during the winter, do what you can to block it up and save the warmth for inside your home.
Prepare Your Furnace Or Other Heating Source
As was mentioned earlier, you’ll likely be using either a furnace or other heating source to keep your home warm from fall to spring. If you haven’t turned your heater on since last winter, it may not be ready to go without a little preparation. Energy.gov recommends getting your furnace cleaned before you start it up to ensure that it’s functioning properly and is as energy efficient as possible. This will help to ensure that you’re not wasting energy to heat your home by using a run-down or dirty furnace. Additionally, you should be replacing the filter frequently to make sure clean air is getting forced through your system.
To ensure your home is prepared for the cooler weather, use the tips mentioned above to get your house ready for winter.
