Button Up Your Home

Have you ever wondered why “fall cleaning” isn’t as popular as “spring cleaning?” With winter comes more time indoors and more indoor entertaining. It seems the perfect time of year to be sure your home is cozy and buttoned up. Here’s a checklist to help ensure that this season’s winter wonderland stays outside.

 

 

The Furnace

• Move materials away from the furnace, especially flammable materials.
• Check your pilot light. If it isn’t burning, follow the instructions for relighting which are typically printed on access doors. If you have difficulty, call a qualified heating contractor for advice.
• Vacuum out any dust or debris in and around the unit, especially the blower. Replace the filter if needed.
• Lubricate the blower motor with a non-detergent motor oil.
• Remove the flame shield and check the burner for corrosion.
• Check the flue for gaps or dents and make sure it is venting properly to the outdoors.
• We recommend that you have your furnace professionally inspected each year by a qualified professional.

Around the House

• Set your programmable thermostat for winter.
• Create a clear area around the heat registers by moving furniture, rugs, drapes, etc. Vacuum out all of the dust in the registers.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Be sure to keep extra batteries on hand.
• Check that your fire extinguisher is fully charged; replace if needed.
• Use a match to check windows and doors for drafts, and install weather stripping where it’s needed.
• Check your fireplace for soot or creosote build-up. Schedule a visit from a reputable chimney sweep.

Outside the House

• Weather permitting, clear downspouts and gutters, and visually inspect the roof. Always keep yourself and any tool or equipment you may be using at least 10-feet away from overhead lines.
• Shut off valves to outdoor faucets. Open spigots and drain and store hoses.
• Take advantage of the sun’s warmth; trim back bushes and trees around your windows.

Don’t forget that Xcel Energy has cold weather rebates to help you keep your house cozy and warm this winter.

Bonus

Find Your Favorite Filter (A CONNECT Extra)

Furnace filters used to have one job – keeping big stuff like dust, dander and pet hair from getting in to, and mucking up, your furnace’s heat exchanger. Today, technology has given us filters that can provide a breath of fresher air by preventing finer particles from cycling back into your home.

When picking the right filter for you, here are a couple of considerations to filter your options:

1) Do I prefer a disposable filter that I can easily swap out each month or am I OK with taking the time to wash my filter every two to three months; and

2) Does anyone living in my home have health issues that could be improved by cleaner air?

Disposable filters are more effective at filtering small particles from the air; washable filters cost less over time.

Here’s a quick overview of your filter options:

Spun Fiberglass Filters – Cheap and disposable. Probably won’t filter out many finer particles.

Low and Mid-efficiency Pleated Filters – Less cheap but still disposable. Pleated air filters hold on tighter to dust particles and can add unwanted resistance to airflow. Disposable filters are more effective at filtering small particles from the air; washable filters cost less over time.

Electrostatic Filters – They have high filtration rates. If your household includes smokers and people with allergies you may prefer to use the disposable type of filter.

High-efficiency Pleated Filters – The most expensive filter and will provide four to eight times the filtering capability of the spun fiberglass filters. These may be very helpful for those with respiratory problems or low-immunity disorders.

Sources include www.bobvila.com and www.familyhandyman.com