Winter is a quite time and your home requires very little maintenance, however there is always a few things to do.  Here are some tips.

  • Your furnace is running a lot these days so the filter gets dirty quickly.  Clean or replace it monthly, this helps the furnace circulate warm air throughout your home and saves you valuable energy dollars.
  • Drain a bucket or two of water from the clean out valve at the bottom of your hot water tank, you may have to consult your owners manual.  This will control sediment and maintain efficiency, saving you more energy dollars.
  • Clean your humidifier two or three times during the winter and monitor your moisture levels.  You can find more information about humidity on my website by following this link   http://jbrinspections.com/?p=79
  • Vacuum your bathroom fan grills.
  • Vacuum radiator grills on the back of refrigerators and freezers and the drip trays.
  • Vacuum your smoke detectors, dust and spider webs can prevent them from functioning.  Test them with smoke.
  • Check your fire extinguishers and recharge them if necessary
  • Check fire escape routes and egress points, are your basement windows free of snow buildup?   This is also a good time to review your home for fire prevention.  This is a good resource http://www.cmhc.ca/en/ab/cayoho/cayoho_003.cfm
  • Poor some water down your floor drain to keep the trap full and run the water on any seldom used sinks or tubs.
  • Examine doors and windows for ice build up or cold air leaks.  Make a note to repair any concerns in the spring.
  • Check for ice damming and look in the attic for frost build up.  If you find these conditions occurring this is an indication of poor ventilation or poor insulation.  CMHC has a great resource about identifying and preventing ice dams. http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/grho/moaiprre/moaiprre_009.cfm
  • Check your plugs and outlets for wear.  Inspect your power cords.  If they are wearing out replace them immediately.

Taking care of these items on a regular basis keeps you safe, increases the life of your home’s components and ultimately saves you money!  Do you want to save more money in the future while making your home more comfortable to live in?  Call us to complete a thorough energy audit in your home and we can help you make a plan to improve your homes energy efficiency.