This winter was mild compared to previous years. But when a winter is mild, the next one is often severe. Therefore, homeowners are urged to take steps to winterize their properties. This not only safeguards them from the worst repercussions of bad weather, but it also lowers energy bills by raising efficiency and eliminating waste.

Winterization Recommendations

Here are a few actions and projects homeowners can take to ensure their homes are ready for the cold, regardless of what winter brings to your region:

• Prepare the exterior of your home. This includes cleaning the gutters, trimming back tree branches, inspecting your roof for any signs of damage or wear, and re-caulking/weather-stripping your windows and doorways as needed to eliminate drafts.
• Check your pipes to look for any signs of backup, slowed drainage or blockage.
• Add insulation to your hot water storage tank to prevent excessive heat loss during cold spells. Additionally, insulate exposed plumbing pipes or those in or beside exterior walls to protect them from the cold.
• Bring in someone from the local utility or gas company to inspect gas furnaces, heat pumps, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and other building systems.

“Furnace maintenance and repair should be done before the temperatures drop,” said Kira Jordan, vice president of portfolio management at Spark Energy LLC. “In addition to circumventing heat loss when you need it most, doing so can reduce the wear on your furnace and even make it run more efficiently so energy is conserved.”

This article excerpt was originally published in the Fall/Winter 2024 issue of Natural Living magazine and was written by Drew Robb. To read this article in its entirety and to read more articles about the benefits of natural gas in this issue, click here.