10 Easy Ways to Winterize Your Fulshear Home
Texas Winter Storm Home Preparation
A big concern during winter storms are their ability to cause power outages and trouble traveling, essentially immobilizing entire regions. Keeping your home prepared for severe weather is important for anyone who lives in areas that experience severe snowfall, ice or powerful blizzards.
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Prepare For a Texas Winter Storm
Make sure you have shovels and other necessary equipment to remove snow. It’s also a good idea to keep an adequate amount of rock salt on hand in case ice needs melting, as well as stoves or fireplaces for heat if the power goes out. It is important that you make sure there are enough blankets, warm clothes and food plus water so that everyone stays safe during a storm.
10 Do It Yourself Ways To Winterize Your Home
1. Attic Insulation
The most effective method uses insulation in the attic, but unfortunately, many homes have either no insulation or too little. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, attics need a minimum of R-38, typically 10-14 inches deep. A properly insulated attic floor will prevent heated air from coming up into rooms below and cause cooled air during the summer months to be blown back downstairs by your fan unit. It’s also essential to seal all ceiling penetrations like holes around pipes and wires, as well as caulk any hatchway openings for access into the attic, so that warm or cold air doesn’t blow up through.
2. Change Dirty Filters
Change your furnace’s air filter every two months throughout the winter season. When it is dirty, it will impede airflow and dramatically reduce the efficiency of your heater.
3. Caulk Cracks
One of the simplest and most effective ways you can stop cold air from coming into your house is to plug up holes, cracks, and seams around the exterior. Pay attention to areas near windows, doors, hose faucets – where siding overlaps foundation- as well as any openings. To do this best with expanding foam sealants or a high-quality latex caulk that will fill in all gaps.
4. Add Electrical Outlet Gaskets
It seems impossible that so much cold air is blowing in around electrical outlets, but the truth is significant heat loss from your home can happen. So what’s an affordable way to seal up those drafty outlets? Foam-rubber outlet gaskets are a great solution! They’re easy to install. Simply remove the plug cover plate, press it over the outlet, then replace and tighten it back onto place using just finger pressure or a small screwdriver.
5. Install Storm Windows
If your home doesn’t have insulation, then you should install insulated-glass windows. Old single-pane windows are terribly inefficient and can make rooms feel uncomfortably cold and drafty. Storm Windows mount to the exterior of existing windows providing an extra layer of protection against snow, wind or rain. Come spring they can be removed and stored away until next winter.
6. Programmable Thermostat
An effective way to help you conserve energy, and when the time is right, provide a comfort level of heat at home. You can choose if you want your thermostat set from before everyone leaves for work in the morning to lowered as soon as they have left and then come back on once everyone has returned home later at night or just before bedtime.
7. Install new Door Weather Stripping
Make sure all the weather stripping surrounding doors are in good shape and not torn, crushed, or missing. Close the door slowly to check for air-leaking gaps around all four edges of the door. Take a peek under it. If you see sunlight shining through from behind, raise your threshold or install a window sweep.
8. Install Insulated Window Treatments
Even the best, tightest-sealing windows feel a bit cold in winter. To make your rooms warmer, you can cover them with insulated blinds or thick quilted drapes.
9. Add Ceiling Fans With Reverse
Sure, they are mostly used during summertime. But ceiling fan motors can be reversed so the blades rotate in either direction to help with warm or cool air movement throughout the seasons!
10. Insulate Hot Water Heater and Hot Water Pipes
Pipe insulation comes in two different types: silicone sleeves for pipes, and wraps for wraparound. They’re both easy to install, save energy and money.