How to Winterize Your Home in 5 Simple Steps
                     How to Winterize Your Home in 5 Simple
Steps
A furnace or heat pump is essential during winter to keep your residential space warm 
and comfortable. But when you use your heating system almost throughout the day, 
you’ll start noticing a spike in your monthly heating bills. However, by winterizing your 
home, you can reduce some loads from your heating unit and save money. Here are the
five steps you can winterize your home.
5 Essential Steps to Winterize Your Home for Ultimate 
Comfort
1. Replace the Furnace Filter
While wintering your home, you need to ensure that the furnace air filter is not clogged 
with dust and other particles. Because when it’s clogged, it’ll make the furnace use 
more energy and resulting in an increase in heating costs. That’s why before taking 
other measures, you’ll have to check the furnace air filter; if it’s clogged or dirty, you’ll 
have to replace it.
2. Replace Old Windows & Doors
If you have broken or old doors and windows, produced hot air can leak through them 
and make your heating system function longer.
Many homeowners use weather-stripping to prevent rain and cold air from entering their
houses. But sometimes, weather-stripping alone cannot block the air from escaping or 
entering your space. In this situation, you’ll have to replace your broken doors and 
windows.
New windows and doors have a unique design that prevents the air from escaping and 
entering. As a result, the produced hot air remains inside the house, and the outside 
cold air cannot enter your space.
Many homeowners hesitate to invest in new doors and windows just for winter. It’ll cost 
you a bit up front, but in the long term, new doors and windows will pay themselves by 
saving energy bills.
3. Sealing the Drafts
Generally, drafts are found in windows, doors, pipes, attics, etc. And unfortunately, 
almost every house has drafts.
When you have a draft in your house, cold air will enter your space, make your furnace 
function longer, and consume more energy. Besides, it can create moisture imbalance 
in your house and allow critters into your space.
To solve this issue, you can use foam tape, foil stripping, door snakes, insulated 
curtains, etc. Luckily, all these can be DIY installed.
4. Install Zoned Thermostat
If you’re struggling to maintain the temperature at certain areas in your house, you must
install a zoned thermostat. With a zoned thermostat, you can regulate the HVAC 
temperature in certain areas of your house.
Unlike other thermostats, a zoned thermostat has several thermostat controllers in the 
house, and each thermostat operates independently, which will allow you to set different
temperatures in different rooms. Besides, with this thermostat, you can turn off the heat 
setting separately for each section in your house. Thus, your heating unit won’t have to 
waste energy on heating an empty room.
Read Also: Manual, Smart or Programmable Thermostat: Which One is Better?
5. Tune Your Heating Unit
When you do HVAC tune-ups regularly, all the parts of your heating unit will perform 
efficiently and they won’t have any lag in operation. Besides, the efficiency of the 
furnace will improve. But when you skip regular heating system maintenance and tune-
ups, you won’t get the desired comfort. Besides, it’ll consume more energy and 
decrease indoor air quality. That’s why if you haven’t done HVAC maintenance in recent
times, you should do it ASAP.
While selecting the HVAC repair company, make sure that they have experience and 
licenses. Also, don’t choose the HVAC company that comes to you first. Do some 
research about the heating companies, ask your neighbors and friends, read reviews, 
and compare the costs.
Bonus Tip: Test the Detectors
Fires are common in winter. That’s why, to protect your residential space from fire, you 
must install a smoke detector in your house. Again, if you already have one in your 
home, you should check the batteries, and it’s advised to replace them every month. 
Apart from installing smoke detectors in your space, you can install CO detectors in 
your home too.
Winterizing Your Home: Essential Tips and Steps 
[Infographic]
Winterizing Your Home infographics