And it’s here! Winter

And there was much rejoicing.

Winter is that cold time of year where breathing hurts here in Winnipeg. But we love it! We have to! We’re Manitoba! Unless you’re reading this from within Manitoba, in which case we all know we complain to each other relentlessly about the cold. But whatever the case, it means now is a great time to think about getting your house winterized. Well actually three weeks ago was, but for the rest of us then there’s no time like the present! Here’s a few quick tips for winterizing your home.

  1. Replace furnace filters! When the furnace is running full bore (as we well know it will for a couple months) it’s a great idea to make sure you have that fresh filter in.
  2. Turn down the water heater. You actually can get away with a lower water temperature in winter and save a few bucks. Most water heaters are set around 140F and can comfortably be around 120F.
  3. In conjunction with number 2, insulate your hot water pipes. You can buy the insulation at any major box store like McMunn and Yates. This will ensure the water you heat makes it to your taps heated.
  4. Check or update your heating schedule on your thermostat. Whenever possible try to turn the temperature down in the house if you’re away or can stay comfortable in a sweater. Wearing a heavy sweater can replace turning the thermostat up about 3 degrees.
  5. Reverse your ceiling fan! Use your ceiling fan to push the hot air back down, rather than the summer operation of sucking it toward the ceiling.

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read our articles and follow us either on wordpress or Facebook. Have a great long weekend!