It’s already feeling pretty wintery, but if you haven’t yet prepared for the season, don’t despair. You can still take steps to protect your home.
Even though they are small, light switches and electrical outlets may be letting in drafts. Because they are placed throughout your home, if they let in just a bit of cold air, you may have dozens of cold spots. That’s why it is smart to choose a cold day to go around your house and hold your hand close to the switch plate or outlet for a few moments. If it feels colder than the surrounding air, you should insulate it. Insulating switches and outlets is a quick and easy process. Check local hardware stores. They should have a variety of inexpensive insulated plates and insulation kits for switch and outlet plates to solve this issue.
If you have ceiling fans, you can use them to help you circulate winter warmth more effectively. While most people associate ceiling fans with the cooling breezes of summer, most ceiling units allow you to reverse the direction of the blades. Heat rises, and by running your fans clockwise, you’ll enable them to push heat down from the ceiling back into the living space. Some estimates say this simple procedure can reduce your home heating bill by up to 10%.
As a homeowner, you know that drafty doors and windows can get chilly. But did you know that the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the drafts from your doors and windows can waste 5 to 30 percent of your energy use? So, if you’re still feeling drafts from your doors or window, it might be time to start using draft snakes. These simple cloth tubes are filled with insulation or dried beans and are easy to buy or make yourself. Place them on window sashes or under doors to block chilly drafts.
Small drops in water temperature can make a big difference in your energy bill. Some water heaters are set at 140 degrees by the manufacturer or installer. Lowering it to 120 degrees is recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and 120 degrees is a safer temperature for homes with small children. Lowering the temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (or lower) not only prevents scalding incidents but it can also reduce your water heating costs by up to 10 percent.
If you find your windows are drafty, you have a few quick and easy options. Try picking up an inexpensive window insulation kit. They use a big plastic sheet similar to plastic wrap that can stretch over the window. Once applied, you use a blow dryer to tighten up the seal, and the plastic becomes taut. When properly installed, window plastic reduces drafts and is almost invisible.
This one is easy to overlook but takes only a couple of seconds: hit the "test" button on your smoke/carbon monoxide detector. If the alarm sounds - you're good to go. If not, replace the batteries and test again. Replace your smoke detector if fresh batteries don’t result in a proper test.
Make sure your pipes are properly protected. Disconnect your water hoses and make sure you drain any water out of them before freezing temperatures bust them open.
Let's make this winter warm, safe, and energy-efficient! Share these tips with friends and family to spread the warmth.