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1. Clean those gutters
Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters -- by hand, by scraper or spatula, and finally by a good hose rinse -- so that winter's rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house, the Insurance Information Institute says.
As you're hosing out your gutters, look for leaks and misaligned pipes. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house's foundation, where it could cause flooding or other water damage. "The rule of thumb is that water should be at least 10 feet away from the house.
2. Block those leaks
One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall. On a breezy day, walk around inside holding a lit incense stick to the most common drafty areas: recessed lighting, window and doorframes, electrical outlets.
Then, buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk or apply tacky rope caulk to those drafty spots. Outlet gaskets can easily be installed in electrical outlets that share a home's outer walls, where cold air often enters.
Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing. "Even if it's a small crack, it's worth sealing up.
3. Insulate yourself
"Another thing that does cost a little money -- but boy, you do get the money back quick -- is adding insulation to the existing insulation in the attic. Regardless of the climate conditions you live in, in the (U.S.) you need a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic."
Don't clutter your brain with R-values or measuring tape, though. Here's a good rule of thumb, If you go into the attic and you can see the ceiling joists you know you don't have enough, because a ceiling joist is at most 10 or 11 inches.
A related tip: If you're layering insulation atop other insulation, don't use the kind that has "kraft face" finish (i.e., a paper backing). It acts as a vapor barrier.
Check the furnace
First, turn your furnace on now, to make sure it's even working, before the coldest weather descends. A strong, odd, short-lasting smell is natural when firing up the furnace in the autumn; simply open windows to dissipate it. But if the smell lasts a long time, shut down the furnace and call a professional.
It's a good idea to have furnaces cleaned and tuned annually. Costs will often run about $100-125. An inspector should do the following, among other things:
Make sure that the thermostat and pilot light are working properly. Make sure that the fuel pipe entering your furnace doesn't have a leak. Check the heat exchanger for cracks -- a crack can send carbon monoxide into the home.Change the filter.
Throughout the winter you should change the furnace filters regularly (check them monthly). A dirty filter impedes air flow, reduces efficiency and could even cause a fire in an extreme case. Toss out the dirty fiberglass filters; reusable electrostatic or electronic filters ca n be washed.
5. Get your ducts in a row. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That's a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house. (Check out this audit tool for other ideas on how to save on your energy bills this winter.) Ducts aren't always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and in crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape (duct tape actually doesn't stand up to the job over time).
Ducts also should be vacuumed once every few years, to clean out the abundant dust, animal hair and other gunk that can gather in them and cause respiratory problems.
6. Face your windows.
Now, of course, is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows, through which winter's cold comes right through. But if you don't have storm windows, and your windows are leaky or drafty, "They need to be updated to a more efficient window. Of course, windows are pricey. Budget to replace them a few at a time, and in the meantime, buy a window insulator kit. Basically, the kit is plastic sheeting that's affixed to a window's interior with double-stick tape. A hair dryer is then used to shrink-wrap the sheeting onto the window. (It can be removed in the spring.) It's temporary and it's not pretty, but it's inexpensive (about $4 a window) and it's extremely effective.
7. Don't forget the chimney.
Ideally, spring is the time to think about your chimney, because "chimney sweeps are going crazy right now, as you might have guessed. That said, don't put off your chimney needs before using your fireplace. "A common myth is that chimney needs to be swept every year. Not true. But a chimney should at least be inspected before use each year, he adds. "I've seen tennis balls and ducks in chimneys," he says. Ask for a Level 1 inspection, in which the professional examines the readily accessible portions of the chimney. "Most certified chimney sweeps include a Level 1 service with a sweep," he adds. Woodstoves are a different beast, however.. They should be swept more than once a year. A general rule of thumb is that a cleaning should be performed for every ¼ inch of creosote, "anywhere that it's found." Why? "If it's ash, then it's primarily lye -- the same stuff that was once used to make soap, and it's very acidic." It can cause mortar and the metal damper to rot.
Another tip: Buy a protective cap for your chimney, with a screen. "It's probably the single easiest protection" because it keeps out foreign objects (birds, tennis balls) as well as rain that can mix with the ash and eat away at the fireplace's walls. He advises buying based on durability, not for its decorativeness. One other reminder: To keep out cold air, fireplace owners should keep their chimney's damper closed when the fireplace isn't in use. And for the same reason, woodstove owners should have glass doors on their stoves, and keep them closed when the stove isn't in use. Check out CSIA'S Web site for a list of certified chimneysweeps in your area.
8. Reverse that fan
"Reversing your ceiling fan is a small tip that people don't often think off. By reversing its direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to re-circulate, keeping you more comfortable. (Here's how you know the fan is ready for winter: As you look up, the blades should be turning clockwise.
9. Wrap those pipes.
A burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before Jack Frost sets his grip: Before freezing nights hit, make certain that the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve), and that the lines are drained
Next, go looking for other pipes that aren't insulated, or that pass through unheated spaces -- pipes that run through crawlspaces, for example, or basements, or garages. Wrap them with pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores. If you're really worried about the pipe freezing, you can first wrap it with heating tape, which is basically an electrical cord that emits heat.
10. Finally, check those alarms
This is a great time to check the operation -- and change the batteries -- on your home's smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years, say fire officials. Test them -- older ones in particular -- with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the "test" button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and still works.
Also, invest in a carbon monoxide detector; every home should have at least one.