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Home Winterization Tips in Ann Arbor, Michigan

by Tom Stachler,ABR,CDPE - Group One Realty Team

Winterizing your Home is as crucial to your comfort and peace of mind over the long, cold months of the year as is winterizing your wardrobe for the change of seasons. You most likely don't wear the same clothes over the winter as you do during the spring, summer or fall. So, it would behoove you to treat your home as a second skin, so to speak, and cover it accordingly.

There are also a variety of practical, prudent and proactive reasons why home winterization is in your best interest, not the least of which is to reduce your heating costs, as well as save yourself from preventable property damage.

Here are some simple suggestions to prepare your home for Old Man Winter:

  • Cover drafty baseboard cracks with caulk
  • Make sure doors and windows seal tightly to prevent air leakage
  • Install sweeps to exterior, basement and attic entries
  • Cover edges of windows with weather-stripping tape
  • Remove window-mounted air-conditioning units
  • Check heating system and change the filter
  • Insure water pipes are properly insulated
  • Clear gutters of clogs to prevent water damage to shingles

And finally, while the addition of insulation to your attic and the underside of your home can be an expensive project, it can also be incredibly rewarding over the winter.

Tips for Winterizing Your Home

by Tom Stachler,ABR,CDPE - Group One Realty Team

Old Man Winter is sneaking up on us once again. He does this every year, and yet many of us find ourselves unprepared when he springs out from behind the bushes, drops the temperatures down into the Arctic range and unleashes a torrent of wind and snow. Beyond the discomfort that the cold can bring, winter can usher in a series of expenses – but there are ways to cut down on potentially expensive heating and repair bills.

So, for all of the procrastinators out there, here are some very simple, basic tips for preparing your Michigan Home for Old Man Winter’s inevitable onslaught:

  • Seal as many of your house’s drafty areas as possible (screens, windows, doors, etc.) with weather stripping, plastic or caulk.
  • Insulate your attic, preferably with about a foot of insulating material like fiberglass. Obviously, heat rises so a well insulated attic will keep your heat where it belongs: inside your living spaces.
  • Ensure that your furnace is in tip-top condition. Have an HVAC technician check it over and replace the furnace filter. If your Michigan home is radiator heated, it’s recommended that you open the pipes slightly and bleed out some air. When water appears, close the valve.
  • Make sure that all of your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are functioning properly and have fresh batteries.
  • Cover exposed pipes with insulating material or heat tape, and insulate electrical outlets against heat loss and air leaks.

Use these quick-and-easy tips to get started and like the proverbial snowball rolling down a hill, you’ll have your Michigan house winterized in no time. You’ll save money on heat and maybe even prevent your pipes from bursting during serious cold snaps.

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