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Winter Preparation:

Keeping your house warm and cozy for cold winter months

By October 22, 2020Holiday, Home
keep your house warm
Texas is known for its hot summers, but in some areas, like the Panhandle, winters can be a bit chilly. It pays to prepare ahead of time for the cold season so you and your family can stay as warm and cozy as
possibleduring the late Fall and Winter.

In previous blog posts, we covered how to protect your home from viruses and from Texas storm season. Protection from the cold is no less important! Here are 5 tips to help you keep your home warm and cozy this winter.

1. Invest In New Windows & Doors

If your home has outdated, inefficient windows and doors, that is costing you money every day as you pay to heat or cool your premises. Winter is the season when this kind of poor energy efficiency costs you the most.

Thus, there is no better time to upgrade with newer, more efficient, and better-looking windows and doors than just before winter. They will ultimately pay for themselves in what they save you on your energy bills.

2. Up Your Insulation Game

Another approach is to add insulation – or more/better insulation as the case may be, around your existing windows and doors. Use heavy curtains to help reduce drafts as well. And use caulk and/or weather stripping around all openings.

If you lack proper insulation in your attic, realize that most of the heat escaping from your home goes out through the attic. Reducing attic heat loss greatly boosts your home’s overall energy efficiency. It will make it faster to warm up your home as well.

One final thought. Laying down large, heavy area rugs will help insulate your flooring, preventing excessive updrafts and preventing cold feet in the morning as well!

3. Get Your HVAC Inspected

Many times, homeowners fail to get their HVAC system up to speed before winter. But having it inspected and repairing and ductwork leaks or problems with the heater may save you hundreds of dollars and keep you warmer and toastier too.

If you rely on an oil heater during the winter months, at least in some rooms of your home, be sure it is filled (but not overfilled) with oil before use. Also, consider getting the oil heater a professional tune-up.

4. Call A Chimney Sweeper!

Chimneys aren’t as common these days, but wood stoves are. Anything that has a flue requires some maintenance for maximum performance and full safety.keep your house warm

Use a chimney-cleaning fire log, have the flue inspected and repaired if necessary, and (for chimneys) call in a pro sweeper to ensure top performance this winter.

5. Run Your Ceiling Fans Backwards

One final trick that can keep you significantly warmer with minimal additional cost – run your ceiling fans in reverse during the cold season.

This has the effect of pushing heated air back down and lifting the colder air up. It will let you experience the benefit of your heating faster, plus, it will circulate air so that your home’s air ultimately reaches a more even temperature distribution.

For additional tips and advice on maximizing the warmth and comfort of your home this Texas winter, or for help in selling, buying, building, or trading-in a homecontact Experience Homes in the Texas Panhandle today!