Winterize your home
By ERIN ESMONT for Smart
By late January and early February, most homeowners are usually hunkered down inside, bundled up from the cold, and eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring and their tax refund checks in the mail.
Winter’s whipping winds and pesky precipitation bring two unwelcome elements to the home — air and water.
That’s why Troy Rudy, a home inspector with Allied Home Inspections in York, and Scott Hittie, owner of Shrewsbury Tru Value, 836 East Forest Avenue, Shrewbury, provided these winter tips for homeowners.
“The biggest problem in any house is water getting in where it doesn’t belong,” said Rudy, a certified pipefitter, plumber, and qualified electrician. He suggests homeowners pay attention to the most missed areas during shoveling — the cement seam where patio steps meet the foundation, in front of patio doors and in front of the garage doors. Snow can melt there and seep into the foundation.
Hittie said homeowners should give their interior the once-over and be on the lookout for cold air, drafts and frozen pipes. Simple steps can be taken even in February to reduce the amount of outside air getting inside, thus lowering heating costs.
Outside
• During steady rain or snow accumulation, check gutters for blockage that could gush over the sides near the foundation.
• Make sure down spouts are a minimum of 5 feet from foundation.
• Cover bare window wells or replace broken covers.
Inside
• Check doors and windows for cracks and leaks that need to sealed with caulk, clear shrink wrap, expanding foam or a weather stripping material.
• Check attic to make sure insulation thickness will keep warmth in and winter chill out.
• Check roof for leaks or any cracks that let light or water through.
• Check around stove vents for gaps that would allow outside air in.
• Give bathroom vents the once-over to make sure air isn’t getting in.
• Look for exposed pipes, especially on outside wall, that may be susceptible to cracking or freezing. Hittie said one solution is to wrap with heat tape that plugs in and is activated only when temperature is just above freezing.
• Fix drippy faucets.
• Replace washer 0-rings.
• Check for loose, unanchored toilets; if rocky, seal them and tighten them down. That can be a source of unwanted water leaking, Rudy said.
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