Bob Kutschbach, owner and broker of Carleton Realty, talks today about preparing your home for the winter. As the weather gets colder, your home needs to be winterized to avoid damage.
One of the most important things to take care of before we get into the constant freezing temperatures is disconnecting your hoses from the spigots. If the hoses are not disconnected, you risk creating suction which can ruin the seals in the spigots. Also, don’t forget to turn off the spigots from inside the home if you can. Neglecting to turn them off can result in the lines freezing and causing burst pipes!
Our heating bills skyrocket in the winter. You can help to keep these costs down by installing your storm windows. Another way to help with the efficiency of your home is by replacing worn out door seals. Dorr seals are inexpensive and only take a few minutes to replace. If you live in an older home with single-pane windows, you may want to winterize them with plastic film insulation.
Winter is a good time to replace your furnace filters. This should be done several times a year and can help your furnace running efficiently. While you are in the basement, you should think about flushing your hot water tank. This is when you attach a hose and bleed all the water out to get rid of the build-up of sediment and rust that lives in the bottom of your tank. A lot of people also take this time to change to the tank seal and the floats in their toilets. This can help keep your water bill under control.
If you have any questions about how to winterize your home, give us a call!
