Winterizing your home.

[flippinout]

The Farmers Almanac says that it is going to be "numbingly cold" across the nation this winter. And it also says to expect a lot of snow. So with this in mind, and with the cost of home heating fuels pretty high, we all need to do some winterizing to keep our houses nice and warm this winter.

Lets start with cleaning the gutters. If your gutters arent cleaned out, standing water can freeze and then seep into your house.

Sealing all air leaks around doors, and windows is one thing that has to be done. Not only does cold air come in, we lose heat to these leaks.

Make sure there is enough insulation in the attic. 12 inches of insulation is what is recommended.

Have your chimney checked and cleaned, especially if you own a wood burner, creosote from the wood can build up and cause a chimney fire.

Have preventative maintaince done on your heating unit to get it in top shape for the winter time. Be sure to change the filters often.

Make sure all water pipes in unheated spaces are insulated, use heat tapes if necessary to prevent the pipes from freezing and bursting.

Check smoke alarm batteries.

Keep firewood that is stored outside covered with a tarp. Wet firewood does not burn well as you know.

In the basement, insulate where the house sits on the blocks of the basement. A lot of cold air also can be stopped if it is properly insulated.

Make sure all outdoor pets have straw for their dog boxes etc. And bring them in on the really cold nights.

[flip_it_fast]

Oh my, I am not ready for winter, especially a really cold, really snowy one! I would rather be hot than cold anyday. I also hate driving when it is really bad out on the roads. I don't mind a little snow or a little ice but if are to have a bad winter, there will be a lot of ice and snow around here making it really difficult to drive.

Thanks for all the good advice though. Right now is the best time to prepare for winter.