With colder weather on its way, it's important you prepare your home and HVAC system for winter. By getting ready now, you can often save yourself considerable hassle and expense. You can also save a considerable amount of money on your heating bills this autumn and winter. Below are three helpful tips for winterizing your home this year.

3 Tips to Ready Your Home and HVAC System for Winter

1. Seal Your Doors & Windows

Drafts cost you money in heating costs and make it difficult to keep your home a comfortable temperature. First, locate any drafts coming through your doors and windows. One way to do this is to move a lit candle slowly around the inside perimeter of each door and window. It will flicker in spots where air is leaking through. Install caulking around drafty windows and apply weather stripping to the edges of your doors. You should notice improvements in utility costs and comfort.

2. Prepare Your Plumbing

Cold weather can wreak havoc on unprotected plumbing. Collect, drain, and store your garden hoses. Apply foam faucet covers to the exterior taps. This prevents them from freezing and potentially bursting a water pipe. Insulate any pipes that run through unheated portions of your house, such as an attic or crawlspace. Pipe insulation is available at any home improvement store and is easy to identify: it looks like a pool noodle with a slit down the side. You can also use heat tape — an electric cable that releases heat along its length.

3. Install a Digital Thermostat

A digital, programmable thermostat lets you control the temperature of your house on a preset schedule. For example, you can program the thermostat to let household temperatures drop by 20 degrees or more while you’re sleeping or when you’re at work. You can also program the HVAC system to start warming the house again an hour before you wake or before you're scheduled to get home from work. This saves you money and reduces fuel waste. Since it does so automatically, you won’t even have to think about turning on your heater after you’ve scheduled it.

If you need to prepare your plumbing or HVAC system for colder weather, contact A. Stevens Plumbing & Heating Inc. in Washingtonville, NY. Licensed in Orange, Rockland, and Westchester counties, they’ve served the region since their founding in 1986. They also specialize in sewer drain cleaning, well pump and hot water heater repair, and water softener installation. Call (845) 496-5903 to schedule service or learn more on their website.