Check Your Heat System Before Winter Arrives
Fast-cooling air when the sun goes down and nippy temperatures in the early morning signal the approach of winter. Tackle the following projects now to keep your home comfortable when cold weather arrives:
Tune up your heating system. Every heating system needs routine maintenance to ensure optimum performance. Often, you can do the work yourself. Some heating systems require the assistance of a trained service technician.
If your home has a furnace, make sure it is running efficiently. Natural gas, oil and electric furnaces each require specific maintenance steps. For all furnaces, check air filters and clean or replace them if they’re dirty. Inspect furnace ductwork for leaks and make needed repairs.
For electric baseboards, use a vacuum to remove dust and lint that may have accumulated over the summer. Electric wall heaters should be cleaned as least twice a year.
For a heat pump, keep the area around the outdoor condensing unit clear of weeds, storage items or other objects that might interfere with air flow through the unit’s coil. Clean or replace air filters regularly.
If you use a woodstove, check its flue for tight joints and connections at least once a year. Your chimney should be cleaned before the creosote reaches 1/4-inch thickness. Remember, burning only dry, seasoned wood keeps creosote from building up as quickly.
Seal air leaks. Caulk and weatherstrip around the inside of windows and doors to seal air leaks. You’ll find a variety of weatherstripping products at home improvement or hardware stores.
Insulate. Warm up uninsulated windows by hanging plastic tape-up storm windows. You can purchase these window kits as an inexpensive alternative to installing new windows. Also, insulate exposed water pipes and faucets in unheated garages, crawlspaces and outdoors.
Set back your thermostat. In most homes you can save about 1 percent of your heating bill for each degree you lower the thermostat when you are asleep or your home is unoccupied.
Remember, a well-insulated house is your best defense against cold temperatures. Make certain your ceiling, floors and walls are adequately insulated.
For more information about preparing your home for winter and other energy-saving actions, contact the Washington State Energy Office’s Energy Hotline, (800) 962-9731. In Spokane call 324-7980.
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