Well, it took a while, but the weather is finally starting to cool down. It’s time to turn the furnace back to heat and prepare for the chillier days of winter. Here are a few reminders of ways to prepare your home for winter.
Change Furnace Filters
We all forget to change those pesky air filters, but they’re always important. Regularly changing the air filter saves you money, protects you from bacteria and viruses, and extends the life of your furnace.
Reverse the fans
On the side of your fans, there is a little button you can flip to switch the rotation of the fan. Now is the time to do that. Clockwise rotation of the blades brings the hot air down to you. That’s what you want.
Watch out for drafts
Be careful of letting that heat creep out of your home through your doors and windows. If you feel a cold breeze by the bottom of your windows or doors, you want to get that taken care of. A simple fix is to put a rolled up towel at the bottom of the door or window to keep the hot air inside where it belongs.
Check the Thermostat
For every degree you lower your thermostat during the heating season you will save between 1-3% on your heating bill. Remember you’ll be wearing warmer clothes anyways, so don’t turn the heat up too far. Also, consider a programmable thermostat which will generally pay for itself within the first six months you own it.
