The winters in Kansas City can be positively brutal. The last thing you want is for you and your family to have to suffer through the cold needlessly. Luckily, all it takes is planning and forethought to ensure that your home is ready to handle whatever winter throws at it.
Give Your Heating System a Tune-up
One of the easiest ways to guarantee that your home stays warm all winter long is to make sure that your heating system is ready to go before the freezing temperatures set in. This can easily be achieved by scheduling a maintenance and tune-up appointment with a reputable HVAC company. Dirty air filters, loose screws, malfunctioning thermostats, and other seemingly simple issues can drastically reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of your heating system. Worse still, they could leave you completely without heat when you need it most.
All of these issues can easily be avoided by making sure that your furnace and heating system are properly maintained. During a heating tune-up, the technician will check your entire heating system for any potential problems and make sure that everything is functioning properly and optimally. Not only will this help to ensure your home stays warm all winter long, but it may also help you to lower your heating costs by improving your system’s efficiency.
Make Sure That Your Ductwork Is in Good Shape
Dirty or leaking ductwork can dramatically reduce your heating system’s efficiency by as much as 25% or more. These issues can also lead to poor indoor air quality by spreading dust, pathogens, and pollutants around the home. For this reason, it is also a good idea to make sure your home’s ductwork is free from damage and leaks and that it’s not overly dirty. A trained HVAC technician can quickly inspect your home’s ducts for any signs of damage and patch any leaks. Ductwork cleaning can also be performed if the ducts are overly dirty. Although these may sound like small steps, they can have a huge benefit by improving both your heating system’s efficiency and your indoor air quality.
Seal Any Air Leaks Around Windows and Doors
Any drafts or air leaks in your home also contribute to heat loss and cause your furnace to work overtime. Making sure that your windows and doors are well-sealed is an easy way to prevent energy waste and help keep your home warm on those freezing cold days. This means checking the weather-stripping around all of your windows and doors for damage and replacing it as necessary.
You should also make sure that the window and door frames are properly caulked and sealed both inside and outside. If the caulking is old, missing, or cracked, it’s a good idea to reseal these areas to ensure that no air can get through. You may also want to consider using a plastic window insulation kit on any older or single-pane windows to help further prevent heat loss.
Inspect and Clean Your Gutters
Melting snow and ice have the potential to damage your roof and your home’s exterior. Any water that pools up next to your house can also lead to hazardous conditions or potentially leak into your basement and crawlspace. For these reasons, it is a good idea to make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and that they properly drain water away from your home. You obviously don’t want to risk getting up on your roof when it is wet or icy, so this is definitely something you should do before winter. That being said, it is best to do this after most of the leaves have fallen since these can obviously clog up your gutters and downspouts.
Shut Off and Drain Hoses and Sprinkler Systems
Winter weather can easily cause your sprinkler system or other outdoor water systems to freeze and break during the winter. This could lead to serious flooding and damage to your yard and your home once the weather warms up. For this reason, it is essential that you make sure to disconnect any hoses and turn off all exterior water spigots. If your home has a sprinkler system, you also need to make sure it is turned off and properly drained or blown out to ensure that none of the lines freeze and break.
Professional Service That You Can Trust
If you’re looking for ways to ensure that your heating system is ready for winter, Air Care Heating & Cooling is here to help. Our team of highly trained technicians can handle any of your furnace maintenance, tune-up, and repair needs. We also provide ductwork cleaning and numerous other solutions to help you improve your home’s indoor air quality. Customers looking for ways to ensure both their heating and cooling systems are ready for winter and summer may also be interested in our comprehensive preventative maintenance plan. Contact Air Care Heating & Cooling today to make sure your home and family stay warm all winter long.
