Winterizing your home The five things you should focus on

There is no better way to get ready for the upcoming cold season than to winterize your home. This would save you high heating costs, equipment repairs and, of course, cold nights and days. Start preparing your home during the fall, just before the temperature reaches a level below the freezing point.

Here are five parts of your home that you should inspect. You can handle some tasks yourself, although in some cases you need professional assistance.

• 1. fireplace. Your chimney is a part of the house that can help you get through the winter, so get it ready very early. Start with the chimney. You may have an approved chimney sweep to inspect and remove anything that may have been trapped in the chimney, usually bullets, birds, and others. To prevent foreign objects from entering the chimney, you can protect it with a hood or screen. The woodstove must also be thoroughly cleaned of creosote and, as experts advise, glass doors should be kept closed when the stove is not in use. Also inspect the chimney damper and, like the woodstove, close it when not in use. Then start collecting firewood and store it in a safe and dry place.
• 2. furnace. Inspection and cleaning of the heater requires professional assistance, which will cost about $ 100. Replace furnace filters every month or at least every six months. An old and dirty filter prevents the flow of air from affecting its performance. Although rare, it can also cause a fire. Also, consider the possibility of buying a new furnace if it is old enough, say more than 10 years, and requiring constant repairs. Remember that an inefficient and defective heating appliance increases heating costs.
• 3. door. You would not want cold air to come out of your door, so winterize your door by sealing any cracks and installing weatherstrips on the sides and top of the door and a door broom at the bottom.
• 4. roof. Inspect if the roof is missing a tile, shingle or nail; has flashings and metal plates damaged; need caulking; or is generally in poor condition. If so, you must ask someone to repair the roof and replace the worn parts. If there is one thing that will protect the whole house from winter, it's your roof, so make sure it can withstand the whole season.
• 5. Gutters. Your first concern is to check if the gutters are securely fastened to the roof. If this is not the case, immediately call a roofing professional to solve the problem. Then clean the gutters and remove leaves and other debris that has fallen into the gutters. Water them if necessary. Check gutters for leaks and downspouts to effectively drain water.