Getting Your Furnace & Home Ready For The Winter
The dog days of summer have gone away and left the greater Houston area with much cooler temperatures. Although Katy, Sugar Land and the surrounding areas have seen fewer than 15 snowfalls since the late 1930s, it still gets cold enough in the winter to run the heating unit. Even though Houston and its suburbs average roughly 18 days each year with temperatures at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, no one wants to get stuck with a broken heater. If you don’t want to be caught in the cold, it’s time to get serious about Katy heating repair before the coming winter freezes you out of house and home.
5 Tips to Prepare Your Home for the Winter
- Get your heating system inspected and serviced.
Your heating unit has been idle for months. Before running it this winter, have a Katy or Sugar Land heating repair professional check the entire system. A professional can identify problem areas that could lead to malfunctions during cold nights. In addition, a repair professional can inspect the ductwork and remove debris or fix any cracks where hot air could escape. - Adjust the ceiling fans.
During the winter, your ceiling fans should rotate in a clockwise direction to circulate warm air throughout your home. As the hot air rises, the fan blows it back down and keeps each room at a more comfortable temperature. In the summer, adjust the fans to spin in the opposite direction and to promote cooler airflow. - Check for adequate insulation.
Much of your home’s heat loss occurs through the attic. If you want to cut utility costs and keep your home warmer, make sure that you have good insulation in your attic has. If you see signs of moisture, heat or pest damage, have new insulation installed before turning on your HVAC system. - Inspect the chimney.
If you have a fireplace, inspect your chimney for air leaks. Wood and gas fireplaces have metal dampers that warp and corrode over time, creating gaps around the edges. As winter approaches, cooler air forces its way through the gaps and creates a draft in your home. You should also have a professional inspect the chimney for debris, leaks and nests before lighting a fire. - Cover the water heater.
Cooler outdoor and indoor temperatures affect your hot water heater and pipes. Wrap your hot water heater with an insulated blanket to keep the water much hotter in the winter. You can also wrap the pipes with specialized pipe insulation to help the water stay hot as it flows from the heater to the kitchen or bathroom. - Seal all cracks and crevices.
Your heating unit has to work much harder when you have hot air leaks in your home. Do an interior and exterior check for gaps, cracks and crevices around windows, doors, electrical outlets and other wall access points. Use a silicone or foam sealant to plug the holes and keep the warm air inside your home. - Use lighter colored drapes.
Doing something as simple as replacing your dark curtains with lightly colored fabrics makes a difference in heating in your home. Lighter fabrics allow more sunlight to pass through and provide natural warmth. Change your curtains in each room to let the sunshine in and to keep the cold air out.
Keeping Your Home Warm in the Winter
Having the Katy and Sugar Land HVAC repair professionals at All Cool A/C & Heating inspect your heating system is one way to get a jump on the cold season. By inspecting your attic insulation, sealing all leaks and doing general maintenance around the house, you can enjoy much warmer temperatures as winter invades the Houston metropolitan area. Call us at 281-238-9292 and we will get your ready for winter.