Winter is fast approaching. If you have experienced a few in your lifetime then you know how frigid it can get. You even shiver at the thought of it and so you seek suggestions on how you can prepare your home, your personal sanctuary for this unavoidable event.
Don’t worry, you have come to the perfect place and as such we will be presenting to you four steps on how to prepare your home for the winter.
Step Up the Heat with a Good Fireplace
If your home does not already have a fireplace installed, now is the right time to look into getting a traditional or an electric one installed. You have an old fireplace, but it is not functioning? Then you should try to get it repaired. With an electric installation, make sure that you have easy access to an electrical outlet. If one is not near the fireplace, you can gain access by way of an extension cord.
Check the Air Ducts
How are your ducts doing? Check to see if the air ducts are working properly and that they are not clogged or blocked by accumulated debris from throughout the year. Sure, you may have forgotten about them during the earlier months but now is the perfect time to check to see that they are properly insulated. Get all that dirt and mess out of it, and you are well on your way.
I know it may seem like a lot, but you will love that you did this when you are done. So chin up and get started.
Aside from being warm during those undesirable winter days, you will most certainly not need to consult your physician for any respiratory related conditions that dirty ducts can trigger. Prevention is always better than cure, and if you jump at this early, I guarantee you will save yourself a pretty penny and avoid a hefty medical bill. If you have assessed and addressed any duct issues, pat yourself on the back.
Ensure Proper Sealing
Another great way to protect yourself and your household from the harshness of the winter is to seal any cracks or holes that exist in and around your home. Don’t allow that cold to seep through the cracks, so go ahead and nip it in the bud right now, examine your property carefully and caulk up those drafty areas. It may seem small, but this will go a long way to keeping your house warm for the winter.
Window Insulation
Get cracking on those windows, well, not literally. Protect yourself from winter’s cold by installing storm shutters. These shutters ensure you are well insulated throughout the dreaded season. One thing to note is that these have a tendency to be somewhat expensive, but don’t panic, there is a solution for you to use in the interim. Simply get an insulator kit for your windows.
This is temporary sheeting that can be easily affixed to your windows and removed during the other seasons. The emphasis however is on temporary, and this may cost you the price of a storm shutter if used over an extended period. Make the investment therefore and get yourself some window storm shutters. Your bank account and wallet will be truly grateful to you.
Now that you have gone ahead and put these steps into practice, you are worthy of a heart congratulation, confetti and all. You are well ready to face the winter with all you’ve got; so sit back, sip some well-deserved hot chocolate with marshmallow added and enjoy your very warm home.
The writer, Edrick Hypolite, works in environmental sciences and tries to find as many ways to efficiently contain the heat in his home as possible to keep his heating bills as low as possible. For those needing to upgrade their heating systems, he highly recommends paying a visit to www.facemyeracorlando.com. You can learn more about Edrick by visiting Google+.