If you’re looking for cheap, effective ways to winterize your home this year, start with these four tips.

Winterizing your home is a good way to avoid damage, stay comfortable, and keep your utility bills affordable.

1. Use a Hose Bib Cover on Your Outdoor Faucet

Hose bibs are thick pieces of foam that fit over your outdoor faucets. They come with easy installation and are also inexpensive. You can often find them on sale for $5 or less. Despite the low cost, they are good at preventing outdoor faucets from freezing during cold nights.

To get the most service out of your hose bib, you will want to take a few steps to make sure your faucet is fully protected.

Before you put the hose bib on:
  • Disconnect the hose from the faucet
  • Look for existing signs of damage and repair them if necessary
  • Drain as much water from the pipe as possible

If you have done these things, your hose bib cover should keep outdoor faucets safe throughout winter.

2. Switch Ceiling Fans to Clockwise

Most people already know that ceiling fans can keep them cool during summer. However, they don’t always know that ceiling fans are just as effective at keeping rooms warm during winter. You just have to make sure it is rotating clockwise. There is a small switch on most ceiling fans that will let you change the direction.

During summer, you want your fan to move air as quickly as possible. During winter, keep it on low. This will circulate warm air slowly to keep the whole room comfortable without creating chilly breezes.

3. Fix Leaks in Your Ductwork

Since your HVAC system’s ducts are hidden behind walls and ceilings, you probably don’t think about them very often. Winter is a good time to change that. As ducts age, they can develop leaks that make it difficult for your HVAC system to cool and heat your home.

This has at least, three negative effects. Leaky ducts can:
  • Force your HVAC system to work harder than necessary
  • Increase your utility bills
  • Cause uneven cooling and heating in your home

Before the temperatures fall, have a professional inspect your air ducts. Professionals can seal leaks so your home is more comfortable and you spend less money on energy this winter.

4. Add Heavy Curtains to Your Windows

If you have a drafty house, your windows are probably to blame. Over time your window frames can warp, create little cracks that let the winter wind come into your house. That not only makes your home uncomfortable but causes your furnace to work overtime.

Adding heavy curtains can block draft windows. For the best results, use thermal curtains that are specifically designed to prevent cold air from coming in. Suddenly, that chilly room feels a lot more welcoming.

There are plenty of ways to winterize your home. By starting with these ideas, you can quickly make your house more comfortable while saving money. They aren’t the only ways to winterize a home, but they are good places to start.

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