Here are a few helpful hints from Paul Davis Restoration on winterizing your home:
1. Get the Furnace Ready:
a. Call an HVAC professional to inspect furnace and clean ducts.
b. If home is heated by a hot water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
2. Get the Fireplace Ready:
a. Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
b. If the chimney hasn’t been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
3. Check the Exterior, Doors, and Windows:
a. Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
b. Use weather stripping around doors to prevent warm air from creeping to your roof, causing ice dams.
4. Inspect Roof, Gutters and Downspouts:
a. Adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof.
b. Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts.
5. Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors:
a. Buy extra smoke detector batteries and change them when daylight savings ends.
b. Install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace/water heater.
6. Prevent Plumbing Freezes:
a. Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.
b. Drain all garden hoses.
c. Insulate exposed plumbing pipe.s
d. Drain AC pipes and if your AC has a shut off valve, turn it off.
e. If you go on vacation, leave the heat set to at least 55 degrees.