Is Your House Ready For Winter?

It’s time to get ready for the changes that New England Winter weather will bring in just a few short weeks. This list of 10 things will help lower your utility bills, save on repairs, protect your investment and allow you to enjoy your home for seasons to come.

My son and I spent just a couple hours in two weekends to get them completed. There are 5 outside and 5 inside the house. Plus we added in 2 bonus items.

OUTSIDE THE HOUSE-

1. Signs of Spring 

Now is a perfect time to plan for a colorful display of spring bulbs. I found great mixed bulb trays that are ‘ready to plant’ tray and all. Just follow the simple instructions.

The secret is to get lots of bulbs planted roots down and close together. Give them a good drink of water a couple times after planting.  I planted mine in perfect view from the breakfast table so I’ll see them peaking through the snow at the first sign of Spring.

2.  Turn it off

After flushing your downspouts and soaking your bulbs, it’s time to disconnect your hoses and drain any exterior faucets. If your house is built before 1995, you probably don’t have frost-proof faucets. You’ve got to locate the shut off valve for each spigot typically in the basement ceiling. With a drop ceiling in my basement, I’ve marked mine with duct tape so I can easily find them.

3.  Save the Blisters

Rather than spending your weekends raking and bagging pile after pile of leaves, mulch the leaves when you make your final mows of the season. The idea is to cut the fallen leaves while dry so they will end up dropping between the blades of grass in your lawn. Here they will feed the lawn as they decompose during the winter months. There are special mower blades that will cut the leaves into small pieces mulching and mowing at the same time.

4. Gap Check

It’s time to do a gap check and go armed with a tube of clear silicone caulk. Check the gaps between your windows and siding. Even small gaps need waterproof caulk that won’t shrink so use the right tube. GE has a product that is ready in just a few minutes. Gaps attract insects and provide the perfect channel for heat to escape your house. Make sure you cannot see daylight around doorframes. I had one in my garage that took a door sweep and weather stripping to seal the gaps.

5. Down and Out

After the last leaves fall- Gutters filled with leaves and seedlings means you’ll end up with roof run off on your siding and even into your basement. Trim boards and fascia boards plus wood siding can rot with the gutters keeping water against the house. Diverters and gutter extensions are inexpensive and will direct water 2-3’ away from the house so it won’t saturate the ground around your house avoiding seepage or water problems inside. 

You can get a reliable contractor to replace rotted boards in just a few hours. I suggest using newer plastic wood products where there is water splash up and run off involved. It will hold up where wood will not.

Be careful any time you step on a ladder. Gutter cleaning service is available for about $200-300 depending on how many gutters you’ve got. Be sure to assure downspouts are draining properly and channels are clear.

INSIDE THE HOUSE-

1. Drafty Ceiings

If you’re like me and have baseboard heating and central air, this one’s for you. First, vacuum your kick space heaters and baseboards to remove pet fur, dust and dead bugs that typically end up there. Your central air vents (if you don’t use ducts for heat) need to be closed to prevent cold air from travelling from the attic in to your bedroom. If you don’t have adjustable louvered vents, take rigid sheet foam and cut to fit tightly in the openings. Most are standard sized. Simply drop the vent cover, push the foam piece into place and close the cover. It’s amazing how simple and effective this is. Don’t forget your larger return vent too. I’ve had the foam pieces for years and they still work just as well.

2. Furnace Check

Have your furnace checked before cold weather arrives. A heating technician will inspect and clean the system including parts replacement and maximizing the rated efficiency of your system. Ask them to check for carbon monoxide leaks too. If you’ve got oil heat, a cleaning is essential but don’t ignore a service with natural gas either.  After a seasonal checkup of my furnace, I replaced my inefficient furnace with a new 95% efficiency boiler a couple years ago.

Tax credit qualifiers: Heating, Cooling and Water-Heating Equipment
Taxpayers who purchase qualified residential energy-efficient property may eligible for a tax credit. The credit is equal to the full cost of the equipment with caps. Energy Credit

3. $500 before December 31, 2013

An energy audit by a weatherization or energy contractor will check for inadequate insulation in your attic, as well as airflow and the proper installation of your insulation material.

Green building technologies have led to more discussion about what’s best for your building ‘envelope’ so take advantage of any new information. The challenges are around how to best handle the changes in temperature between the heated and unheated areas of your home. With huge fluctuations in outside temperatures in New England, maintaining a steady environment in your attic is difficult. If your home had icicles last year, address it now. If you had ice dams, you’re likely to experience them again if you don’t take steps to prevent them.  

Building Envelope Improvements
Owners of existing homes may receive a tax credit worth 10% of the cost of upgrading the efficiency of the building's envelope. Installation (labor) costs are not included and the credit is capped at $500 for all improvements. Energy Credit

4. Window treatments 

Keeping the cold out and while letting the light in is important for a couple reasons. A sunny house in the winter keeps our spirits bright while saving on heating costs with its passive heating contributions. If you’re lucky enough to have southern exposure in the winter, take advantage of it by opening curtains and shades during the midday and closing them in the evening. If you’ve got combination storm windows, lower the storms now for the winter. It’s easy to lift one an inch or two for fresh air where you want it. Remove curtains and window treatments for seasonal cleaning, vacuuming or dry-cleaning or maybe they are machine washable. Now’s the time to swap out for seasonal treatments if you want to make a change using lined, heavier curtains and drapes.

5. Safety Kit Essentials

Stock up on ice melt, sand and other non-slip environmentally safe products before the first freeze up. Keeping the walkways, driveways, patios or deck surrounding your home safe for you, your family and guests is an important part of weathering the Winter in New England. There are liquid and solid granular products available today that are safe for plants and landscaping, won’t harm your pets, and protect the environment.

Bonus items:

If you’re like me and love a fire in the fireplace, bring in enough firewood to enjoy your first fire of the season. Stack it high by the hearth with enough kindling or starter pieces to make it special. Cover your outside pile with a small tarp to keep it dry and more easily accessible.

Dress each of your doors with a seasonal piece that greets anyone that enters all winter long. I placed one at my back patio door where the charcoal grill is that’s mixed greens tied with raffia and dried hydrangea.

The house is buttoned up and I’m ready for winter. If you need help with anything on this list, I'm happy to share my full list of contractors, service providers and resources with you.