Preparing Your Home For Winter
Today, Las Cruces truly felt like fall. The colors in the sky had an opaqueness to them, and all of the leaves looked a little more yellow. In the shade, it actually felt cold; for Las Cruces, this is a big deal. Our seasons here are very mild, so even in late October our days can get up into the mid-70′s.
But even more than the temperature change, we started to feel the pressures of winter since we started winterizing our home. Our fireplace is used frequently in the cold months, so we hired a chimney sweep to come over and get rid of the soot and creosote that had collected over the months. We also had a screen placed on top to limit rodent and bird access to our chimney. After all this was said and done, I got to thinking about the different things we can do to save money and protect our belongings during the winter.
1. Get Your Furnace Ready
Lucky for me, my husband does this already. Usually in early November, he calls an HVAC inspector to come over and clean out the ducts, change the filters, and make sure our furnace is in working order. We always buy an extra stash of filters as well, since they tend to become filthy in the winter months and can run up your electricity bill as a result. Some friends of ours recently replaced their ‘ON/OFF’ thermostat with a programmable one, and they said their bill dropped by $40 a month; that’s a huge decrease, especially since all utility rates tend to escalate from October to March. Of course, it’s important to remove all flammable materials from around the furnace.
2. Get The Fireplace Ready
Like I mentioned earlier, cleaning out your chimney (with you do it yourself or hire a sweep) will help reduce the chance of the smoke entering your home and staining your walls; this happens over periods of time, so you don’t usually notice it until it’s too late. We live in an area where there is a lot of wildlife, so placing a screen over the top of the chimney is crucial. Pretty soon, firewood stands will be up here in Las Cruces, and I’m sure in most places, firewood is already selling like crazy. We tend to stock up for a few months’ supply.
3. Check Exterior Windows & Doors
It really is amazing how much heat escapes through the cracks of windows and doors. A friend of mine lives in an older home that she’s renovated throughout the years, and last summer she finally got around to replacing her windows; she said that the following winter, it felt like she was in a different house. If replacing your windows isn’t an option, it’s important to caulk and seal all windows and door frames, as well as placing weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from getting in. If you have a basement or garage, it’s always smart to use plastic sheeting to prevent cold air from getting in there too. If you live in an area with harsh winters, it’s important to replace your summer/spring windows with storm windows.
4. Clean Out the Gutters
My least favorite, but worth it in the end. Las Cruces doesn’t really get snow during the winter, but we do get rain, and if we don’t clean out our gutters bi-annually the shingles nearest them on our roof begin to deteriorate. Rather than replaced 50 shingles once a year, my husband and I climb up a ladder and hose down the gunk until our gutters and drain pipes are free and clear. If you do decide to get up on the roof and inspect, it’s always a good idea to check roof tiles and shingles to make sure none are missing or rotted; if you go too long without checking, you may need a whole new roof sooner than later.
There are a few other things that need to be taken care of before winter officially arrives in Las Cruces (and by officially arrives, I mean we get our first frost). The lawn mower needs to be drained and stored safely in the garage – along with most of the gardening tools – and the evaporative coolers should be be shut off and drained until April. We also double check that all of our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly; with the fireplace in use and the furnace programmed to run automatically, you can never be too safe.
It’s during seasonal transitions that I feel so lucky to live here in Las Cruces; there’s never a lot of work or preparation that goes with winter or summer. There’s a part of me that misses the snowy landscapes of back East, but that’s what vacations are for. I hope maybe you found some helpful ideas for your home in the winter.
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Evelyn Bruder: CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO, Las Cruces Cyberstar
The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team http://www.homesforsaleinlascruces.com
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Tags:evelyn bruder, helpful hints, home organization, las cruces, New Mexico, Things to do around you home
