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Winter can be hard on homes. From pounding sleet and freezing rain to falling snow, your home is exposed to a range of weather types throughout the winter. Freezing temperatures and excessive moisture can cause damage to your home’s structure and cause discomfort indoors. There are many things you can do to prevent this from happening. By maintaining your home’s windows, chimney, heating and ventilation system and more, you can keep your home functional throughout the winter.
Windows can get drafty and cold at this time of year. Drafty windows put a burden on your home’s heating and ventilation system and also make it hard to be comfortable indoors. You can prevent this from being a problem by sealing your home’s windows with caulk and weatherstripping.
To start, inspect your windows for deteriorating caulking. Scrape out any old, cracked caulking, then install new. Allow the caulking to cure for the recommended period of time.
Next, install weatherstripping along your windows to fill the gaps between the sash and frame. Weatherstripping only lasts about one or two years, so if you previously installed weatherstripping in your windows, it may be old and cracked now. Check it to see if it’s still filling the gap between your window frames and window sash. If it’s not, replace it.
If you use your chimney during the winter, even if you only use it a little, it’s important to get your chimney inspected before using it for the season. Everything from birds nests to dead birds can accumulate in the chimney, and that can cause a fire. Your chimney liner can also deteriorate with time, which can be a fire hazard. The only way to know if your chimney is safe to use is to get an inspection and cleaning.
When the air in your home is too dry, your hands may get dry, your eyes may get dry, and even your hair could get dry. Worse yet, dry sinuses can cause headaches, and worse. You can prevent some of this discomfort by humidifying your home. Buy a portable humidifier for parts of the home where you spend the most time. Aim for an indoor humidity of 30 to 50 percent. If the air in your home becomes too humid, this can cause condensation on your windows, which can create worse problems for your home and your health.
Cold weather can be hard on air conditioners. If you have a window air conditioner, bring it indoors for the winter. Put it in your garage or in a storage room for safe keeping, until the weather warms up. If you have a central air conditioner unit, place a piece of wood over the top of the condenser to keep icicles and snow out of the unit.
Check out your windows for signs of deterioration. If your windows are older and made of wood, look for problems like peeling paint, mold and mildew on the window frames, soft wood on the frames and signs of water damage. If your windows are damaged, have them repaired or replaced by a licensed professional.
Renewal by Andersen of New Jersey and New York Metro can replace your old windows with award-winning windows made from Fibrex material and energy efficient glass. Call (866) 609-5033 or fill in the short form on this page today to make an appointment for a free consultation.
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