Winter Tips To Follow

[homealone]

Winter has already hit in some areas and in others it is showing its ugly head like where I live.

I just wanted to share some tips with everyone to help get prepared for the winter weather, because I have heard that this year the weather is going to be very bad.

When it comes to outside faucets these need to be turned off and then opened to drain. Water inside the pipes will freeze and cause the pipes to break and then you have serious problems to deal with.

Speaking of broken pipes if you have had to deal with broken pipes before then it is most likely going to be in your best interest to get those pipes check then wrapped with heat tape to keep that from happening.

Also doors, windows and electrical outlets are where most of the cold air enters a home, so check these places in your home and make sure that you don't feel cold air coming in. If you do, break out that weather stripping and plastic and get that leak stopped. These leaks can really increase the heating costs in a home, so getting them stopped is going to help keep those utility bills down where they should be.

I know that in most places it is to late now to be out there cutting grass, so it is important that you get your lawn equipment prepared for winter as well as your patio furniture.

These are just a couple of tips that should be followed to help get yourself ready for winter. I hope that this information helps all of you, as I know it sure has helped me in the past and will in the present and future.

[flippinout]

We have checked all pipes and sealed up every place that cold air could enter our home, so we are ready for winter to bring it on.

We finally went to Lowes and ordered our new garage door but have to wait on it to be delivered because it was a special order and we were told that it could take up to a month for it to get here.

The garage door is the one thing that we had to replace as it is an older one and does let in a lot of cold air. Plus it had the bottom damaged in the flood we had here a few years ago.

I am just hoping that when the garage door does get here that we will have a couple of relatively warm days in which we can get it installed. And when it is finally installed, it should cause our garage and basement to be a lot warmer than in the past.

That said, once its installed, we should be a lot warmer than in previous winters.

[homealone]

I will keep my fingers crossed for you that you will have a few warm days to get the new door installed.

Taking care of things like this are important because it can really raise the bills during the winter.

I know that while I was going through my sweeties place I found many places where cold are was coming in through. His basement was the worst. Though after a trip to Lowes and a couple of hours, everything was taken care of.

Well best of luck to you. I really do hope that you get the warm weather that your going to need.

[Santiago]

Hi...,Excellent.This is very helpful...Mostly doors, windows and electrical outlets are basically where most of the cold air enters a home are..your tips really useful to save from cold air....Nice sharing.Thanks.

[flippinout]

The new garage door has been installed and since it is insulated, it will save a lot on this winters heating bills. Its just a little chilly outside at night right now but I can tell a difference in the garage already. Its a lot warmer than it would have been with the old door.

Everything else has been taken care of. All insulation has been checked and replaced or added to as needed. All wall plugs taken care of to prevent cold air coming in.

All doors have been taken care of as have all of the windows to prevent cold drafts coming in this winter.

Fuel oil has been bought, chimney cleaned, and furnace tuned up. So now I can just sit back, watch the snow fall and be quite comfortable for the coming winter.

[flippinout]

Well, it has been cold enough here to know for certain that the new garage door is helping to keep the basement and garage a lot warmer than it was with the other door and thats a real money saver considering that home heating oil is now like $4 a gallon.

The last fill up cost $830 to fill my fuel tank and the next fill up will be even more expensive considering the rise in cost since the last fillup.

Also, get those water pipes etc insulated and your heat tape installed now while it isnt so cold out. You dont want to have to do this when it is 20 degrees out or to repair broken pipes later.

[flippinout]

What I find absolutely amazing is the amount of people that sit around during all the good weather during the year and then have to have someone fix broken pipes. Thats a shame, no one wants to be out in the bitter cold trying to fix broken pipes and freezing their finger off trying to do so.

My son had torn down a trailer and saved all the insulation from the job and had told everyone in the trailer park he lives in to feel free to take the insulation and wrap their pipes with it.

Would you believe that not one person took advantage of the free insulation.

If I were my son and someone had broken pipes this year, I would make them pay someone to have them fixed. He doesnt need to be out in the cold fixing something that could easily haved been prevented.

[flippinout]

I went into the garage today to check the heating fuel level in our tank and noticed a slight movement of the air. I checked everywhere and really dont have any clue where it is coming from.

The garage door isnt letting any cold air in but its coming from that end of the garage. I guess tomorrow I will add extra caulking and check the rubber sealer around the door to see that it is still in tact.

Other than that, Im just going to have to keep searching if when Im done with the garage door I still feel the cold air.

Better to find it now and do something about it as tomorrow isnt going to be all that cold outside.

[flippinout]

It was a very mild day outside today and I spent some time out there looking around to see where the cold air is getting into the garage at but as of yet have found nothing.

Tomorrow I will take the caulking gun out and go over any places that look like the caulking may be failing and also caulk anywhere that looks like air may be getting in.

Since it is going to be a very mild week here, I will be able to go over the whole outside of the garage and be able to take care of any air leaks that I can find.

No sense in wasting precious fuel oil trying to heat a space that has a breeze blowing through it.