Property Blog

Of course, here on Aruba we have sun. 360 days a year. But what if you are not that fortunate? How do you protect your house for the coming winter season?

Before the first signs of winter show up, it’s a good idea to insulate your home against the coming winter season. When you take care of preparing the house for winter season before the real cold is coming, you can curl up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate without any interruption.

The following tips will help you keep the cold outside, keep the heat in your home and protect your home from storm damage.

1. Check the chimney

Before you carefully hang the Christmas stockings near the chimney, make sure the chimney is cleaned and inspected by a professional chimney sweep. Creosote and soot, as well as other blockages, can cause a fire. Therefore make sure that it is intact and that the chimney liner, firebox, smoke chamber and damper work all well before the first fire.

2. Warm your water heater

If you want to save up to 9% in heating water, wrap your water heater in a suitable format insulation blanket. Most hot water tanks are installed in unheated areas of the house such as the basement or the attic. The less heat escapes to the cold environment, the less energy it consumes and the more money you can keep in your pocket.

3. Seal cracks and crevices

Before the cold sets in, make sure all cracks and crevices in your home are filled. This is to prevent heat leakage to the outside and thus extra energy is consumed. Expandable foams work well to close gaps in areas that are difficult to reach or are oddly shaped.

4. Stop ice dams in their tracks

Before the first snow falls, take one last trip to the roof to install an ice shield (also a good moment to place the Christmas lights!). Ice shields are available at your local home improvement center. It protects your home from ice dams – ridges or frozen water – that form at the edge of a roof and prevent melting snow from draining – and protects your home from a variety of seasonal problems.

5. Perform an energy audit

Schedule an energy audit with your local service provider, to provide an analysis of any inefficiencies that you’ve overlooked during your own inspection. Some companies offer this service for free, but even if not, it is wise to carry out the audit. It’s worth the investment. The professional assessment can lead to upgrades that can lower future energy bills up to 30%, according to the US Department of Energy.

6. Protect plants and shrubs

Make sure your garden still looks good when spring arrives, by taking care of your plants during the winter. Insulate and shelter the foliage closest to your home from falling ice and snow by erecting a reusable A-frame structure made from 2x4s and plywood exterior. Tall and narrow greenery anywhere on your property could benefit from a simple twine wrap around the middle to keep individual branches from breaking under the weight of heavy snow accumulation. But snow is not the only winter force to reckon with: Do not forget to protect small shrubs from strong gusts of wind by wrapping them with burlap and stapling the material to stakes.

7. Trick out your thermostat

Are you ready to introduce your home to the 21st century? Try a smart thermostat. It is more than just clever technology, it is a perfect investment. Many of these thermostats that are now on the market, are able to detect when you go to home in order to adjust the temperature of your home. It can raise the temperature when you get home, and lower it when you leave. The intuitive settings alone trim energy costs, and the availability of user-friendly, control-from-anywhere features can simplify home life.

8. Install weather stripping

Eliminate potential problems before they become a real problem. Keep your living room extra cozy by sealing gaps around door and window frames with weather stripping. Install door sweeps, which can prevent chills (and pests) from entering through the slim space underneath the door.

9. Avoid frozen pipes

Frozen pipes – and the waterworks, mess, and damage to follow – top the list of the most formidable problems when temperatures plunge below 0. Be a step ahead of this nightmare, by using foam insulation around the pipes. This prevents the metal of becoming too cold.

10. Operate your ceiling fan

Ceiling fans are not only for use in the summer – they are also effective in the winter. In warmer months, you should set your fans to rotate counterclockwise, for a cool downdraft. However, the winter requires the opposite: Reverse the rotation so your blades spin clockwise to distribute warm air back down. And while you’re up there flipping the switch, it’s not a bad idea to dust a little, too.

11. Trim back trees

Large branches That loom over rooftops and power lines could cause problems if They collect enough snow and ice during the winter storm season. Overburdened, They May snap under the heavy weight, fall, and seriously damage whatever lies beneath. Save yourself some hassle and trim your branches back at the end of autumn to avoid threats thesis.

12. Replace furnace filters

The proper functioning of your heating system and furnace becomes paramount constantly cold winter months, when it’s vital that you stay warm and comfortable in your home. The starting point for regular maintenance is easy: Change your furnace filters often. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand. Change paper or fiberglass furnace filters every one to two months; an electrostatic or HEPA filter can be cleaned or changed closer to every two to four months. If you stock up on filters ahead of time, you’ll always have a supply on hand to keep your energy system in tip-top condition.