5 Tips to Winterize Your Home

With the winter season well upon us in the Mount Pleasant, North Carolina, area, it’s the perfect time to address areas of the home that may feel the strain of the cold. Carefully consider how your home systems are standing up to the winter weather and make smart adjustments as needed to get better comfort and efficiency for your home. The right winterization tactics can help you stay warm and cozy through the coldest part of the season without suffering from over-the-top energy bills.

Change Your Filters

Stay on top of filter changes throughout the winter season to keep your heating system operating at peak efficiency. You should change your filter at least every three months, but you may want to increase your frequency during the winter months, since you’re likely to spend more time in the home. Having your family indoors more can increase everything from dander to dust. An efficient filter should have no problem pulling these from the air.

If you feel that your current filter isn’t cleaning your air as effectively as you’d like, you might also want to consider upgrading to an enhanced indoor air quality system this winter. An air cleaner or air purifier can pull a greater percentage of pollutants from air, tackling irritants that can slip past a traditional filter. Installing a humidifier will increase your comfort as well, helping you battle dry skin and respiratory problems common in the winter.

Tuneup Your Heating System

Have you had furnace maintenance within the last 12 months? If the answer is no, it’s time to schedule a tuneup for your heating system. Annual maintenance is an important part of keeping your energy efficient during the winter months. During your tuneup, our technicians thoroughly clean and inspect the unit. This includes:

• Tightening electrical connections
• Lubricating moving parts
• Checking belts and other components for wear
• Inspecting thermostat operation
• Cleaning the blower motor

Furnace maintenance will greatly improve your comfort this winter. A system that’s well maintained will also enjoy a longer life span, lower utility bills, and fewer repair needs.

Reverse Your Fans

Turn your ceiling fan on and see which way it’s rotating. If it’s moving counterclockwise, it’s generating cooling breezes, which is the opposite of what you want in winter. Switch the fan to rotate in the opposite direction. When the blades move clockwise, they pull warm air down from ceiling to heat the space below. This is a quick and easy way to create cozier space as the dead of winter sets in.

Upgrade Your Thermostat

If you don’t have a programmable thermostat in your home yet, this winter is the perfect time to consider one. These thermostats allow you to adjust the home according to the time of day and day of the week. This allows you to turn the heat down when the home is unoccupied or you’re cozy under the covers at night, while enjoying temperatures that automatically increase at the pre-determined hour in the morning.

Wi-fi enabled thermostats give you enhanced control over your system even when you’re away. You can control this type of system via a handy app on your phone, so you can make the appropriate adjustments if you’re at the office late. Pick a product with adaptive technology and it will learn from all your adjustments to provide better energy efficiency and comfort all year long.

Lower the Temperature on Your Water Heater

Many water heaters are set to scalding temperatures that you wouldn’t actually want to use. Turn your water heater’s temperature down to 120 degrees instead of the common 140, and you’ll enjoy just as much comfort for a much lower price. This is particularly helpful in winter, when your system is likely working harder to warm up that water. You won’t notice a difference in your shower, but you will notice it on your heating bill.

Winterizing your home properly can help you avoid many common heating and efficiency problems. However, if you do find your home in need of furnace repairs, AC Heating and Air Conditioning Services has you covered. Give us a call at (843) 277-9928 for all your heating and furnace services.

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