There are some easy and inexpensive things you can do to stay warm, lower your heating bills, and prevent damage to your home in Canton MA this winter. Here are 7 tips:
1. If you haven't had your heating system checked in more than a year (or ever!) now is a good time to schedule an appointment. Have the connections and thermostat checked annually. You can clean and change filters yourself. Regular maintenance on your heating system will help it run more efficiently (lower bills) and prevent emergency repairs.
2. Knock down heavy icicles building up over your walkway or stairs. You can use a shovel or broom to knock them down and away from the path. As they drip and re-freeze, they create icy patches on stairs and walkways.
3. Buy a window insulator kit to prevent cold air from entering through drafty windows. You can purchase these kits at a local hardware or DIY home center store. They contain a special plastic material that you cut to fit your window. You create a "shrink wrap" seal by heating with a blow dryer. Follow the directions on the package.
4. Ice dams can cause a lot of damage to your home in Canton MA. An ice dam is caused by melting snow that re-freezes at the edge of your roof, rather than flowing into the gutters and downspouts. As this dam builds up, any melted snow that pools up behind it can leak back under the roof shingles and into your home. Some people purchase a roof rake from a hardware store to remove the snow at the edge of the roof before it can cause problems. These are meant to be used while standing on the ground, and not on a ladder. Learn how to remove the snow properly so you do not damage your roof. In the spring or summer, talk to a contractor or a roofer about what can be done to prevent ice dams from occurring in the future.
5. If you have pipes in your basement that run along the exterior walls, wrap them in pipe insulation to help prevent freezing. You can do the same thing to the hot water pipes that cross your basement ceiling to keep the temperature hot. It's easy to install pre-slit pipe insulation, which you can buy in the plumbing section of a hardware store or home center.
6. If you are going away for an extended period of time in the winter, your pipes are more prone to freezing since there is no water flowing through them. Contact a plumber, or ask at a DIY home center to find about ways to prevent pipes from freezing in your Canton MA home.
7. Check to make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Replace the batteries if you have not done so in the last 6 months.
Stay safe and warm! Remember Groundhog Day is Wednesday, February 2nd. We'll find out then how many more weeks of winter!
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