Getting through the winter can sometimes be a tall task. Temperatures can drop well below freezing, and you may have to deal with over a foot of snow. Dealing with these types of natural elements isn’t always the easiest, especially if you don’t properly prepare for them. So before you get stuck in a winter storm and think, “How can I find emergency propane near me?” it’s best to prepare to avoid disaster from happening. However, preparing for the winter months goes much more in-depth than simply ensuring that your propane tank is filled up. So how exactly can you ensure that your home is outfitted to survive the winter months? Here are six tips to help you prep your home for the winter.
Get a Programmable Thermostat
One of the best things that can help you prepare for the winter is a programmable thermostat. Everyone wants to come home to a warm house in the winter, but no one wants to pay the high prices associated with heating your home while no one is there. Thankfully programmable thermostats can help you solve this dilemma. When you leave your home when you have a programmable thermostat, you can set your thermostat to a temperature that keeps your house lukewarm. When you come home, your house won’t be freezing and will take much less time to heat up fully. In addition, you won’t be spending tons of money fully heating an empty house while you’re away. If you’re looking for ways to prep for the winter, then you definitely should consider getting a programmable thermostat.
Replace Furnace Filters
Another thing that people fail to monitor during the winter months is their furnace filters. Furnace filters clog up and get dirty relatively quickly, meaning that they should be changed on a monthly basis. When furnace filters begin to clog up, they will make your heating much less efficient and drive your energy bill up. As a result, it’s in your best interest to check your furnace filters routinely and replace them when they become too dirty.
Fill in Gaps
Something that can have a huge detrimental effect on your winter preparations is gaps in your windows and doors. These gaps can let air out, something that can make heating your home extremely inefficient. Hot air from your heater will slowly seep out of your house, causing you to waste more energy and money on heating your home. In addition, you may struggle with getting your home to a comfortable temperature if all of your warm air slowly seeps outside. In order to avoid this, you should check your windows and doors for openings and cracks before winter starts. You should also ensure that all of these gaps and openings are filled, something that can make heating your home much more efficient.
Clean Gutters
Many people fail to clean their gutters before the winter months, something that can cost you thousands of dollars in damages. When your gutters are full of debris during the winter, it’s very easy for water to get backed up, causing damage to the roof or siding of your house. Considering that fall comes right before winter and leaves will likely have fallen in your gutter, the likelihood of your gutter being clogged right before winter is relatively high. As a result, you should ensure that you clean your gutters out completely before the first snow of the season starts, potentially saving you thousands of dollars in damages.
Stock Up On Winter Essentials
An extremely important thing that you need to do before winter sets in is stock up on all of your winter essentials. Winter essentials that you need for your home include items like salt, snow shovels, and ice scrapers. Items like these will ensure that you can clean off your house, driveway, and car, allowing you to travel during the winter. Items like these are necessary to clean your property off after a snowstorm and ensure that traveling is safe. As a result, you should definitely ensure you have these winter essentials before the season starts.
Check Drainage
The final thing that you should do to prepare your home for winter is to check your home’s drainage. Getting plumbing work done in the dead cold of winter can be a hassle, so it’s important to recognize drainage issues before the season starts. In addition, cold weather can lead to things like pipes freezing or bursting, so you don’t want to have any water clogged or unable to drain. You should check all drains in your home and ensure that they are draining properly. If you notice something wrong, you should immediately call a plumber to get the situation fixed before the cold sets in. Dealing with drainage problems in the winter can be a major headache and cost you lots of money, so it’s important for you to prevent the problem from ever occurring in the first place.