Are you planning to get yourself a house in Texas?
Lately, the housing market prices of Texas have been fair, making it favorable for buyers. This is perfect for new homeowners, as most of them are looking for an affordable home, increasing the state’s population of 28.9 million people.
However, a lot of the new homeowners aren’t prepared for what Texas has to offer.
One of the things that catch people off guard is the Texan winter. You need to prepare a warm home, because temperatures during the winter can drop as low as 32 degrees.
Here are some simple but effective tips for a warm home. Use them to keep your Texas home at a comfortable temperature!
- Check the House’s Heating System
Heating and cooling systems are now a staple in every home. So, check yours before the winter rolls around. Your heating system will be your main defense against a cold night during the winter.
Have your HVAC system regularly checked by a professional throughout the year to avoid mechanical problems from popping up out of the blue. Other problems may include expensive breakdowns and shortening of the furnace’s lifespan.
- Seal Air Leaks to Keep a Warm Home
Leaks can compromise the temperature balance in your home. Whenever there’s a leak, the warmth inside your home escapes and gets replaced by the freezing air you’re trying to keep out. To prevent this from happening, check for air leaks and seal them.
A simple way to check for air leaks is by using a candle. Walk around your home with a lit candle and check whether it flickers. If yes, it’s a sign that there’s a draft in the room.
If there shouldn’t be a draft in the room in the first place, then it could mean there’s a leak. A quick fix would be to use a plastic film to cover the leak. If you want a more permanent solution, though, apply foam to the wall where there’s a leak. You should also check your attic if it is poorly insulated, this could be one of the culprits of air leak in your home. You can hire experts in spray foam insulation Houston to do this task for you.
You’ll need to do this well before winter, though. This is to ensure you don’t have a big draft as the cold season starts to come in.
- Check All Wood Structures
Structures like your walls and door frames are also in danger when winter rolls around. This is because cold temperatures expand and contract the wood, causing your house to have spaces where cold air can pass through.
In an older home, it can cause your home to drop below freezing. This makes it important to check the wooden parts of your home for any temperature damage. By doing this, you can have it fixed and ready for the winter.
- Check Your Water Heater
It’s essential to check that your water heater is working well even before winter. It’s going to help you in regulating the temperature inside your house. When checking, it’s important to see if the temperature around the heater is hot.
While it may seem like a good thing, it means that much of the heat is escaping. This makes the water colder as it travels through your home. To prevent this from happening, wrapping your heater in insulation is the way to go.
- Insulate Water Pipes
Same as the heater, an exposed water pipe can waste too much heat. It cools off the warm water running through the home.
Insulating them is important to keep the temperature stable. It’s also a great way to prevent your pipes from freezing.
- Clean Your Chimney
Most houses in Texas have chimneys that keep your home warm during the cold nights of winter. What most homeowners don’t realize is that they need to keep it clean for it to work. A dirty chimney will make it harder for the warm air to circulate around the house and vent out the cold air.
A clean chimney is also less of a fire hazard. Hiring a professional chimney sweeper is the best way to clear up the air’s passageway. It ensures that air and smoke has a way to escape.
It’s also important that you cover up your chimney when you’re not using it. Small animals can nest inside it, preventing you from using it efficiently.
- Clean Up Your Gutters
Gutters help water flow to where it needs to flow whenever it rains. When it gets clogged up, though, it can become an issue on many fronts. The water that accumulates in your gutters can turn into ice in the winter.
This can bring down the temperature inside your home. This is worse when the water runs down your house and settles in your walls. It can freeze into ice there, too, causing even more drastic temperature changes.
- Protect the Outer Elements of Your HVAC System
Your HVAC system also has big components placed outside of your home. These are your condenser units and it’s important to protect them from the elements. You can do this by putting a simple tarp on top of them to prevent snow from going inside.
What does your HVAC systems condenser unit actually do? This guide will tell you all you need to know.
- Use Small Space Heaters
Space heaters are a great way for you to keep yourself warm during the winter. They’re inexpensive and also don’t consume as much power as a dedicated heating system. This makes them great alternatives if your HVAC system breaks down before or during winter.
- Clear Out Any Branches
Snipping any branches that are close to your home can also help keep it warm. This is because tree branches can hold snow during the winter. These branches can fall onto your home and cause the ice to get in between the walls.
They also pose a danger to your windows and roof. The snow they carry can be heavy enough to cause damage to your house if you also consider the branch itself. Trim these ahead of time to prevent any damage during the winter.
Use These Tips and Get Yourself a Warm House Today!
Winter in Texas is tough, especially if you’re new there. That’s why winterizing is your home is a good investment to keep it nice and toasty. Set up your home and keep it warm today!
Do you want to learn more about house management to have a warm home? Check out more of our guides to learn all you can today!
