Lose weight, save money. If you haven't already winterproofed your house, add seasonal home maintenance to your list of resolutions for 2005. It's not too late this year, here's a guide to making your house safe and cozy for the rest of winter.
In bad winters ice dams can be a problem. After a heavy snowfall, the snow can partially melt on a roof and then refreeze. The ice layer keeps water from running off the roof normally, and you can suffer damage as moisture backs up under shingles and gets inside.
You can reduce the chance of ice dams by improving insulation and ventilation in your attic. A roof that is heated from below will cause snow to melt, which is the first step in creating an ice dam. Insulation helps keep heat from your living space from entering the attic and ventilation moves outdoor air through the attic so the underside of the roof stays cooler.
You should also check your gutters to be sure they're still clear. Leaves or obstructions in gutters give ice a chance to form, so clean gutters help prevent ice dams.
Some other chores to handle as soon as possible are:
- Consider turning on the humidifier. Signs that it's time to increase humidity are static electricity buildup, dry leaves on house plants, dry skin and dry throat.
- Identify water pipes that run along outside walls or through unheated crawlspaces. These are the pipes that can freeze in severely cold weather, cutting off the water supply to some taps. To keep water pipes from freezing when it gets really cold, open vanities under sinks and raise the temperature in areas with exposed pipes by turning up your thermostat or using a space heater. If pipes leading to a particular faucet often freeze, turn on the cold water at that tap to let water trickle continuously when the weather is coldest.
- Lower your thermostat settings to reduce the strain on your heating system and lower your utility bills. Wearing warmer clothes and adding humidity to dry rooms will enable you to lower thermostat settings for the hours your family is active.
- Set ceiling fans to winter mode. Most ceiling fans have a switch on the side that changes the direction of the blades so they pull air up instead of pushing it down. The updraft from a ceiling fan at a low setting helps circulate warm air that might otherwise pool at the ceiling.
- If you don't already have a programmable thermostat, get one. These devices turn down your home's heating system during the hours you are usually asleep or away from home. A rule of thumb is to lower the thermostat one degree for every two hours you don't need heat.
- Close the registers in rooms that aren't being used, but don't let the temperature in any room drop below about 60 degrees. Weatherstrip around the doors of rooms that are closed for most of the winter.
- Change the furnace filter regularly. The frequency for changing filters depends on your heating system and the type of filter you use. Consult your owner's manual for details. If you use a permanent filter, clean it as needed.
- Cut off drafts at doors and windows with rolled-up towels, tape or plastic sheeting.
- If you have to use a space heater, keep it at least 3 feet from any combustible objects, such as furniture, drapes or bedspreads. Don't leave young children or pets alone with a space heater. When shopping for a space heater, get one that automatically shuts off when it is bumped or knocked over. Also make sure that any fuel-burning space heater you buy is rated for indoor use.
- Don't use electric heaters in the bathroom where they can get wet.
- Buy salt. Salt keeps forever unless you let it get damp, so it's a good idea to buy about twice as much as you think you'll need this year and store it in a dry location.
When a snow starts falling that looks like it's going to stick, spread a little salt on driveways, sidewalks and other areas you want to keep clear. A well-timed salt treatment can melt a light snow before it accumulates so you can avoid shoveling altogether.
If you have to shovel, remember that shoveling snow can be a strenuous aerobic activity. It can be dangerous or even fatal, especially for people with heart conditions or those who aren't used to prolonged exertion.
Before going out to shovel snow, do a few warm-up and stretching exercises to get your body ready.