Spending a Little Money Now Can Save You Thousands Later :: How to Winterize a House with HomeAdvisor

This is a partnered post with HomeAdvisor.com.

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I have been working with HomeAdvisor.com this Fall as one of their blog ambassadors. As a first post, I tried my hand at their (Fall) Home Report Card Quiz. And I wanna say … “Naiiillled It!” Ten questions regarding Fall Home Maintenance, I mean – something we have talked about on this site several times. … Come On!

Yeah, ok, I actually got a B (… for Building Moxie of course).

In that post you’ll find both the questions on the quiz and my answers (if you looked closely, wink, you could find all the correct answers too, at the bottom. I just put them in a white font color. ha!).

On reviewing my answers, right or wrong, I found that if anything I was a little weak on the areas surrounding energy efficiency, energy audits and winterization. So … on being instructed to focus my attentions in this second post on one of the five areas that were perhaps over-arching thematically in the quiz, I chose to cover How to Winterize a house. (Oh, and if you wanted to also test your preparedness for this Fall Maintenance season … do better than me? – the Quiz.)

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The Home Winterization Bullet List

* Are you properly insulated, especially in the attic?

* Do you feel cold air around switch plates or at doors and windows? Consider caulking & weatherstripping.

* Do you have older windows? Consider replacing with newer energy efficient windows.

* Have your furnace and ducts checked professionally for leaks. A new furnace filter, too, will allow your furnace to work easier – maximizing efficiency.

* Maybe not right now, exactly, but before the end of the season – Turn off the water supply to outdoor pipes. Expert Amy Matthews (pictured at right) says – Water left in outdoor pipes can freeze, potentially causing them to burst.

* Similarly, bleed lawn sprinkler systems.

* Check the gutter system. Here, Matthews says – Autumn leaves can clog and freeze in your gutters potentially damaging not only the gutter but the roof.

For more information or to find a professional for one or more of these items, you might check Home Advisor‘s Energy Audit “Task” page.

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Thanks for reading and enjoy the season. For more from us on Winterization and/or more simply Fall Maintenance, see those topics there. ~jb