Well, it’s hard to believe it, but now that it’s November, it’s time to winterize your Boise home. Getting your home ready for the winter might be a little easier to do while the weather is still relatively nice here in East Boise and the surrounding areas. Best to get things done before things freeze! And, for the most part, all it will cost you is a little elbow grease to protect your Boise home real estate investment and keep more dollars in your pocket!

Prepare Your Furnace

This one is at the top of the list for a reason: Making sure your furnace is functioning is most important thing you can do when going through your winter prep checklist. Change the furnace filters, even if it’s only been a few months. Some filters should even be changed monthly. Stock up on filters while you’re at it so you don’t have to worry about it later on. If you have a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and closing them again once water appears. If you really want to be thorough, contact your local HVAC professional for a regular maintenance inspection.

Clean Rain Gutters

Now is a good time to clean your rain gutters. They are essential to the overall protection and safety of your home. When you clean your rain gutters, look for any potential problems that could block water from freely flowing through your gutters. This will help prevent icicles and ice dams from forming later. If you don’t want to brave getting up on a ladder, contact a service provider to take care of it.

Seal All Leaks

Want to save money on your heating bill this winter? Well, then you might want to seal any leaks to prevent cold air from getting in. The better your home is sealed, the less the heater will have to kick on. Check your roof for loose or missing shingles and look for gaps around the chimney area. From there, check the foundation of your home and all areas around windows and doors. Once you identify problem areas, caulk cracks or install weather stripping as needed. If you have a fireplace, make sure the flue damper is tightly closed when not in use.

Insulate Your Windows

Drafty windows are one of the biggest problems when it comes to keeping your home warm during the winter. There are several ways to insulate them to block out excess cold air. You can purchase window insulation film from a hardware store, complete with installation instructions. Rubber weather sealing is another solution that involves cutting long strips of sealing and then sticking to window frames to close any gaps. You can purchase layered curtains to keep out drafts or cellular shades if you want to insulate while still letting light in.

Change Ceiling Fan Direction

Did you know that changing the direction of your ceiling fan can have an impact on the energy you use in the winter? Yep, it sure does. During summer, it’s recommended to let your fans spin counter-clockwise to push cool air downward. During winter, you can allow your fans to spin in the opposite direction to pull air in the room upwards, which pushes warm air down the sides of a room. This results in a room that is a little bit warmer and can give your heating unit a much-needed break. The best part? It only takes seconds to do.

Prepare Your AC

Most homes in East Boise have central air conditioning. If you have a permanent fixture, cover with an air conditioner cover to keep it dry and insulated. If you have a window air conditioner, you’ll need to take a few additional steps to make sure it’s good to go. Protecting your window air conditioner against damage during the long winter months is smart because they aren’t cheap to fix if something goes wrong. Make sure the unit is clean of any leaves or other debris. Once it’s been cleaned off, allow the unit to dry thoroughly and drain water from the air conditioner until it’s completely free of moisture. Place on ground and cover with wrapping material before placing in a warm, dry area.

Watch Your Thermostat

It’s easy to just leave your heater running all day but you’re wasting precious heat if you’re not home. You can save quite a bit of money each month just by turning the heater down whenever you leave the house. You can even set timers on your thermostat to raise the heat during hours of the day you know your family will be home. For every degree you lower the thermostat, you’ll end up saving 1-3% of your heating bill. That doesn’t seem like much but you could save hundreds of dollars each year.

Winterize Outside Faucets

Winter can destroy our water lines each year if we don’t take proper care of our outdoor faucets. First things first, remove any hoses, splitters or connections from the spigot before winter arrives. Not doing this can cause water to get trapped, freezing the fixture. Inspect all fixtures to make sure there are no leaks or drips. If you find a leak, make sure to fix it before temperatures are freezing. Next, drain your pipes the best you can. Then, install a hose bib cover to each outdoor fixture for that added layer of protection. You can find most covers at your local hardware or home improvement store for cheap.

And, if you are looking to buy or sell in the East Boise area, please call your Boise Realtors – the Templeton Real Estate Group – we are a small yet highly skilled real estate team with decades of area expertise, service, property pricing, and negotiating. We are passionate about providing our clients with the best real estate experience available. Our office is located in East Boise’s beautiful Bown Crossing, just steps to Boise’s Greenbelt. Contact us today to schedule your complimentary and confidential consultation.

Call us at 208.473.2203 or email us at info@templetonrealestategroup.com, or complete the form on our website. Happy Winterizing!