Here's how to stay warm and save on heating and repair costs, too.

OUTSIDE YOUR HOME...

• Clean your gutters so ice dams don't form and cause damage. Consider installing a foam gutter filler product like Leaf Defier.
• Replace cracked caulking around roof vents and around chimney.
• Install a chimney cap to keep critters and objects from dropping in, and rainwater from dripping down into the fireplace.
• Put door sweeps on doors that don't connect with the threshold. Caulk around windows and doors as needed ( or masonry sealer on brick.)
• Rake away debris and weeds from your foundation and seal any cracks. If appropriate, install a plastic cover on the crawlspace access door and seal some of the vents.

IN YOUR GARAGE...

• Clear enough space to put your car inside on very cold nights. (If you've got too much clutter.)
• Check your snow blower and generator to be sure they're ready for winter. Get a new snow shovel if you need one and have a bag of ice melt on hand.

IN YOUR CRAWLSPACE (OR UNHEATED PARTS OF YOUR BASEMENT)...

• Wrap exposed pipes with pre-molded, foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation. If pipe freezing has been a problem, wrap them with heating tape. Be sure to turn it on before it gets too cold.
• Check heat ducts for air leaks. Whether they are in the crawlspace, attic or basement, so all the heat goes through the vents. Fix any breaks or gaps with metal backed tap.

IN YOUR ATTIC...

• If you can see the ceiling joists, add insulation. Don't use the paper backed kind, which can cause moisture problems. Seal the access lid with plastic.

IN YOUR HOME...

• Have your furnace checked, new filters installed, and your air conditioning unit winterized at the same time.
• Keep your fireplace damper tightly closed unless you're making a fire. If you have a woodstove, keep the glass doors closed whenever you're not using it.
• Install socket sealers over unused electrical outlets on outside walls, and reverse the direction of your ceiling fans and keep them running all the time so they'll push the warm air downward and force it to circulate.

Now settle in for a much more enjoyable, comfy winter.

Courtesy of SELECT SPRINKLERS  

905-689-8358

Because Burlington-Area Sprinkler Contractors
Or Sprinkler Systems Are NOT All the Same...