It’s almost Christmas time, and aside from preparing for Christmas parties and gift-giving, one of the more important tasks you must do is to prepare your home for the coming winter. This is especially true if you live somewhere like Toronto where winters can be extremely cold. When temperatures start to plunge, your home must be ready to let you live comfortably while saving money at the same time.
Here are some of the tricks to help you prepare your home for the winter months:
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Tune Up Your Heating System
One of the first things you must do is to call a technician to check on your boiler. You have to make sure that your heating system will do its job when temperatures become too challenging to handle. According to https://www.accuservheating.com/, boiler maintenance is necessary to prevent scale build-up. When this happens, the scale will serve as an insulator that can prevent heat transfer, which can result in reduced efficiency that will drive your electricity bills up. Another effect of boiler neglect is the presence of oxygen within the system. The oxygen can cause corrosion of water valves and piping, which can result in a burst pipe. According to the Insurance for Business & Home Safety, burst pipes can cost a homeowner as much as $5,000 in damages.
Clean Your Chimney
If you use a fireplace, it would be great to have it cleaned. While at it, check if there are any cracks or debris inside the chimney. Remember, leaves and bird nests are common debris found in chimneys that can cause a fire.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fan
If you have a ceiling fan that has a reverse feature, use it to make the blade to run in a clockwise direction, as advised by Energy Star. Do this after you turn on your heat. Since hot air rises, reversing the fan will cause an updraft and push down heated air that comes from the ceiling.
Check Your Roofs
Winters in Toronto can be windy, so it is best to check your roofing for any loose shingles. Make sure to have a licensed roofing contractor do the repairs before the first snow. A single cubic foot of snow can have a mass of up to 25 pounds, that weight is enough for loose shingles to move and allow water to leak into your home.
Inspect Smoke Detectors
During winter, when the heating system is up, fires often occur. To prevent this, make sure to inspect all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If you don’t have them yet, it is best to install them now. Make it a habit to check the batteries at least once a month.
Prepare Marks for Driveways, Pathways and Garden Beds
During heavy snowfall, it might be difficult to see where your driveways and walkways end. Often, these snow covers can cause accidents. Prevent this by installing a snow pole to mark the areas.
Put Insulation in Your Attic
This tip depends on the usual temperatures in your region. If you often have extremely cold weather, then spending money on attic insulation is justifiable. When you do this, you keep your home’s heating out of the attic. A cooler attic prevents ice dams from building up in your roof. You can check Energy Star’s recommendation for insulation installation per region.
Preparing for the winter months can be costly and time-consuming. However, these steps are necessary to ensure that you have saved when it comes to your energy consumption. Additionally, winter-proofing your home is synonymous to keeping your home livable for you and your family. No price can ever equate to that.
