1. Convert to Gas
Nothing communicates home-loving
coziness like a fire in the fireplace. Unfortunately, traditional woodburning
fireplaces tend to lose more energy than they produce, pulling heated air out
of the house and sending it up the chimney (and burning wood adds to air
pollution). If you have natural gas or propane heating, consider having gas
logs installed. A direct-vent system is best for new, air-tight homes; it pulls
in air from outdoors, pushes it past the firebox, and sends the warmed air into
the room. Vent-free systems require no chimney, flue, or outside exhaust.
They're relatively inexpensive to operate, warm the room efficiently, and meet
national standards for indoor air quality.
2. Call the Chimney Sweep
If gas logs aren't in your budget
and you use your woodburning fireplace often during the winter, have it cleaned
and inspected before winter. Burning wood releases volatile gases that cool and
condense on the inside of the chimney, forming sticky, smelly, highly flammable
creosote. Allow enough of it to build up, and you run a risk of a chimney fire.
Also make sure the damper is working properly and that the chimney is capped
with screening to keep out critters.
3. Put the Ceiling Fan in Reverse
Check your ceiling fan for a switch
that allows you to reverse the direction of blade movement to turn clockwise
instead of counter-clockwise. Warm air rises, and the clockwise rotation of the
blades forces the warm air down to where people benefit from it.
4. Wash the Windows
Yes, it's a tedious job, but washing
the windows inside and out twice a year--spring and fall--rewards you with
sparkling views, unobstructed light, and the opportunity to check for cracks
and damaged caulking. Use a commercial window cleaner or make your own by
mixing 1/4 cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of water. Newspaper makes the
best "cleaning rag" because it's absorbent and won't leave lint, but
wear gloves to protect your hands from the newsprint.
5. Rearrange the Furniture
Changing the furniture arrangement
is an easy way to give your rooms a new look and feel for the winter. Pull
seating pieces close to the fireplace to create a cozier mood, and bring out
soft chenille or fleece throws to ward off the chill. Set up a new display on
the mantel to create a wintertime focal point--dark colors and layers of
objects supply rich texture that adds increases the cozy factor. Some
homeowners keep two sets of slipcovers, white for summer and a dark, warm color
for winter.
6. Make Windows Airtight
According to the U.S. Department of
Energy, 10 percent of the air that leaks out of a house exits through the
windows. Caulk around window frames and apply weatherstripping between the sash
and window frame to eliminate air leakage. Tension seal and magnetic types of
weatherstripping are durable and effective for double-hung windows. For
casement and sliding windows, apply self-adhesive V-strip weatherstripping to
the side of a clean, dry sash or window jamb. Measure the length you need, cut
the V-strip to fit, then peel off the paper backing while pressing the strip in
place.
7. Put Up Storm Windows
Install storm windows to reduce air
leakage year-round. You can find storm windows with vinyl, wood, or aluminum
frames and glass or plastic panes. Glass is heavier but longer lasting and
clearer than plastic, which scratches easily and yellows over time. Interior
storm windows are generally mounted inside the window jambs or flush with the molding.
They're easy to install but must be removed when you want to open the windows
to let in fresh air. An exterior double-track or triple-track storm window is
permanently installed on the outside of the window, and the lower half of the
window moves in a separate track from the screen so you can lower or raise it
to control air flow.
8. Clean the Gutters
Whether your gutters have become
roofline planters like this one or have simply accumulated a season's worth of
fallen leaves, get them cleaned out before winter rains and snows arrive. After
scooping out leaves and debris, flush the gutters and downspouts with a strong
stream of water from a hose. Make sure the gutters fit snugly against the house
and repair any cracks or damage. Many companies offer leaf guards that claim to
prevent leaves from collecting in the gutters, but most don't keep out dirt,
debris, and seeds, so you'll still have to flush them out.
9. Check Smoke Alarms and Carbon
Monoxide Detectors
Experts recommend replacing the
batteries in smoke alarms twice a year, and if your smoke alarm is between 5
and 10 years old, replace it with a new one. There should be at least one smoke
alarm on every level of your house and one in or near each bedroom. Safety
experts recommend similar placement for carbon monoxide detectors--high on the
wall, one on every level of the home, and near bedrooms. Where NOT to put them:
within 15 feet of gas appliances, furnace, or fireplace because these give off
small amounts of carbon monoxide when they're first turned on and would trigger
false alarms.
10. An Easy Fix
Even though only 2 percent of air
leakage is through electrical outlets and switchplates, every little bit
counts, and insulating outlets is easy and inexpensive. Check a hardware store
for outlet gaskets (also called insulation gaskets). To install them, turn off
the electricity, remove the faceplate, pop out the perforated gasket, and press
it over the outlet. Screw the faceplate back on, and you're ready to power back
up. Look for UL-listed gaskets made from fire-retardant foam.
11. Have the Furnace Inspected
Call an HVAC professional to check
the fan belt that runs the blower, vacuum out dust and debris, and oil the
bearings if necessary. Buy enough filters to see you through the winter months
and change them monthly--when filters become clogged with dust, the furnace
doesn't operate efficiently and your energy bill goes up. Set the thermostat at
68 to save on energy costs, and consider replacing a manually controlled
thermostat with a programmable one. This allows you to set the temperature at a
comfortable level when you're in the house and cut it back to a cooler level
when you're at work. Used properly, programmable thermostats can save up to
$180 a year on heating and cooling costs.
12. Time to Go Tankless?
Conventional storage water heaters
use energy to keep the tank full of hot water at all times; a tankless heater
provides hot water only when you need it, which requires less energy thus
saving you money. Whole-house tankless heaters are probably not cost effective
for most homeowners--they cost more upfront than storage water heaters, and
installation costs are also much higher and more complicated. Point-of-use
heaters, however, are small and installed where you use them--at the kitchen
sink or in the bathroom--and because they only need to furnish enough hot water
for fixtures in that area, they can be efficient, cost-effective, and green.
Gas-fired models deliver hot water at a faster rate than electrical models,
which require upgraded wiring if they have to do much more than supply hot
water to a bathroom sink.
13. Plug Hidden Leaks
About 30 percent of the cold air
that leaks into your home comes through holes where pipes, vents, or electrical
conduits run through the walls, ceiling, and floors. Check under sinks in the kitchen
and bathroom and in the basement for gaps around pipes, and fill them in with
an insulating foam sealant. Small gaps can be effectively sealed with caulk.
14. Protect Pipes from Freezing
To minimize the possibility of water
freezing in your plumbing pipes causing them to burst, wrap each pipe in a blanket
of foam insulation. Check hardware stores for these foam tubes, which have a
slit on one side. Just cut the tube to the length you need, pull the slit open,
and push the tube onto the pipe. If the slit doesn't have self-adhesive edges,
use duct tape to secure it.
15. Add Insulation
Check the attic to see whether you
need to add insulation -- experts recommend a depth of about 12 inches. Ultra
Touch from Bonded Logic is an eco-friendly, formaldehyde-free insulation made
from the scraps and waste left over from the manufacture of blue jeans. It's
treated with a boron-based solution to prevent mold and mildew growth,
discourage pests, and retard fire, and it won't irritate your skin during
installation. Visit bondedlogic.com to find a retailer near you.
