When the weather gets chilly, one of the best ways to protect your home, your family and your wallet is to winterize your home for the season! The winterization process helps to not only keep your house cozy and warm, but also saves you money at the same time! Check out our top tips to help winterize your home this season so you can enjoy the frigid months!
Prepare Your Air Conditioning and Water Lines
You may not have put much thought into your air conditioning unit lately, but winterizing it along with water lines around your home is a great way to save yourself some serious headaches in the future. After all, few things are worse than a burst water or air conditioning line in the middle of the night! With fluctuating temperatures this winter, your home’s systems have taken a beating, so to prepare your AC and water lines for winter, try these tips:
- Drain hoses and pipes of fluid before the weather gets below freezing to prevent expansion and eventual bursting
- Turn off external water sources during the cold months like your sprinklers and hoses
- Seal any leaks surrounding water pipes and hoses before the temperature drops
Seal Drafty Doors and Windows
If your home feels a bit drafty during the winter, take a tour and inspect the seals around your doors and windows. Place your hand around openings and observe if you feel cool air coming through. If you feel a draft, sealing it up is a great way to save on energy use and keep your home toasty warm all season long. Invest in quality weather stripping for around doors and windows. If you need to, rice or beans sewn into a “draft snake” can keep out drafts from the bottom of the door in a pinch for a quick DIY solution! For a quicker fix, simply roll up a towel or blanket and place at the base of the drafty door or window until the weather warms up.
Give Your Insulation a Boost
When it’s cold outside, you put on your big winter coat to keep warm. Insulation is like a winter coat for your home, and when you have the right amount of insulation, you can save big on energy costs and be warmer even on the coldest days! It pays to add more insulation between walls, near windows and doors, and even in your attic and basement to keep your home comfortable all year long.
Insulate Your Pipes, Too!
Insulation isn’t just for walls—you can insulate your pipes as well. Use pipe foam from your favorite hardware store to insulate pipes that are warm to the touch. When the cold weather hits, you can rest easy knowing that your pipes are protected, and your home is protected from water damage that comes with burst pipes during the winter months.
Winterizing your new home for winter is a great way to save money now that you’ve made the transition to home ownership. To learn more about all the ways that the NC Housing Finance Agency makes home ownership more affordable for home owners and home buyers, visit www.nchfa.com.
