Fall is here and before you know it, winter will be upon us. Now is a good time to take advantage of the last few days of warmer temperatures to winterize your home.

The great news is that if you are living in or planning to build a Berks Home, you can rest easy knowing that we build our homes with energy efficiency in mind. (Check out my blog from April 2022 to learn more about that).

Part of what makes our homes energy efficient, is the eco-friendly, fiberglass insulation with varying R-Values, based on the part of the home the insulation is being placed. We fill R-19 factor in our walls, R-11 in our basements and R-44 in our ceilings, wrapping your home in the comfort of what is recommended by EnergyStar to build an efficient home. This is not only a plus during the winter months, but since it stops the transfer of heat, it keeps the warm air out during the summer months, creating a cooler interior. Not only that, but fiberglass insulation can also help reduce sound from the outside as well as inside your home between neighboring rooms.

Your home's insulation is a great start to a "winterized" home, but there's more to it than just staying warm.

Here are a few reminders and suggestions to get your home ready for winter.

1.Drain the garden hose and disconnect it from the outside spigot 

This will prevent leftover water from freezing inside the hose and potentially bursting the pipes. Also, if you have a regular, non-"frost-free" spigot, I highly recommend closing the inside shut off valve draining the spigot prior to the first frost, for added insurance.

2.Furnace Maintenance

This is one of those things, that personally, I hate to spend money on. But it is so worth it. Not only for energy efficiency, but to potentially add to the lifespan of your unit, as well as to ensure you don't find your heat is broken in the midst of a cold snap. Changing air filters consistently helps improve on the air quality, as well.

3.Clean and maintain gutters

If your home is surrounded by falling leaves, your gutters have the potential to fill up and become clogged. Remove any leaves and debris, and while that's being done, don't forget to check for any loose gutter pieces, which might be further loosened, or even disconnected with heavy snow and ice. 

4.Change the direction of your ceiling fans

 By reversing the direction of your ceiling fans, this moves warm air from the ceiling, down to the main portion of the room. Most fans have a switch on the motor housing, remote control or wall controls that house the reverse function button.

5.Got a Chimney? Sweep it

One of my favorite things about winter is getting a great fire rolling in m fireplace. It's important to have your chimney inspected and cleaned to avoid the build-up of creosote, which can cause a house fire. And let's not forget ridding any furry creatures who may have made the chimney their home.

Now sit back, enjoy and stay warm this winter! And feel free to visit us in person at one of our beautiful (and warm) model homes or you can find us online. Questions? Call 484.772.2693; we are here to help!