{"id":6680,"date":"2016-01-08T11:00:08","date_gmt":"2016-01-08T16:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/?p=6680"},"modified":"2016-01-10T19:40:30","modified_gmt":"2016-01-11T00:40:30","slug":"its-not-too-late-to-winterize-your-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/its-not-too-late-to-winterize-your-home\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Not Too Late to Winterize Your Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

OK folks, the holidays are over and the new year has begun, so you have no more good excuses for not taking the time to winterize your home. If you want to reduce your energy bills, keep your family comfortable and help protect your home from ice, snow, floods and freezing temperatures this winter, here are nine easy home winterizing projects you can tackle in just a couple of weekends (in between watching the marathon of football, basketball and hockey games!).\"Sooteater<\/a><\/p>\n

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1. Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater Tank<\/h2>\n

Insulating your water pipes and hot water heater is a relatively easy project<\/a><\/strong> that can help trim your water heating costs by raising the temperature 2\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00b0 to 4\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00b0, allowing you to get piping hot water on a lower setting. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0According to the Department of Energy (DOE), insulating your hot water heater<\/a><\/strong> will trim 4% to 9% off your water heating costs. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Both projects are particularly helpful if your water pipes run through a cold or unheated basement.<\/p>\n

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2. Winterize Outdoor Water<\/h2>\n

\"K&H<\/a>Walk around the house and make sure all outdoor water faucets are turned off via the shut-off valves in the basement. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Leave faucet handles open to prevent freezing and cracking. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Disconnect, drain and store garden hoses in the garage or shed. If they are already frozen, thaw and drain them in your bathtub before storing. If you need the hose during the winter months for pets or for filling an outdoor hot tub or pond, get a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0thermostatically-controlled rubber hose<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that you plug in for 20 minutes before using.<\/p>\n

Empty your\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0outdoor spa, hot tub or whirlpool if you won’t be using it this winter. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Use a Quick Drain wand<\/a><\/strong> to quickly syphon water and remove debris at the same time.<\/p>\n

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3. Clean Chimney and Flue<\/h2>\n

Keep the fireplace damper closed when not in use and replace the damper door if it is deteriorating. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0On a day when there\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s no precipitation, use a do-it-yourself chimney cleaning system<\/a><\/strong> to remove soot and creosote from chimneys and flues. This will help prevent chimney fires<\/a><\/strong> and improve the efficiency of your wood stove or fireplace.<\/p>\n

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4. Upgrade Your Thermostat<\/h2>\n

\"Venstar<\/a>According to the U.S. Department of Energy<\/a><\/strong>, you can save 5% to 15% a year on your heating bill by turning your thermostat back 10\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00b0 to 15\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00b0 for 8 hours. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Make that task easy by replacing your manual thermostat with a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0programmable thermostat<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that will lower the heat automatically when you go to bed or to work and raise it when you return.<\/p>\n

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5. Prevent Indoor Flooding<\/h2>\n

Sump pumps<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0are one of the most effective ways to protect against catastrophic basement floods caused by high water tables, heavy rains or melting snow and ice. Add a cellular pump alarm<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0to your system to receive a text message alert on your cell phone if your sump pump stops working due to a power outage or malfunction.<\/p>\n

To receive alerts of unwanted water near other appliances or on the basement floor, install a water alarm<\/a><\/strong>. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0And to\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0protect against messy damage caused by a leaky washing machine or hot water heater, install an automatic water shut off valve<\/a><\/strong>, either a “whole house” or “single appliance.”<\/p>\n

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6. Protect Against\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Destructive Animals and Pests<\/h2>\n

\"P3<\/a>Pesky animals, rodents and insects looking for food and warmth can invade your house and yard in the wintertime. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Even vehicles are vulnerable to small animals that like to nest under the hoods of cars, lawnmowers, boats and snowmobiles and chew on the wiring. An\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0electronic animal and pest deterrent<\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>is an\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0inexpensive but highly effective device that uses high-intensity ultrasonic sound waves that irritate critters and drives them away.<\/p>\n

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7. Get Ready for the Next Power Outage<\/h2>\n

Stock up on bottled drinking water, non-perishable foods, batteries and firewood to get you through the next inevitable winter power outage. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Prepare for hours or days without power by keeping these other useful devices to have on-hand:<\/p>\n