With the holidays right around the corner, many are prepping their homes for not only extended family but also the approaching cold weather. Although not nearly as exciting as creating that Christmas wishlist, preparing your home for the winter months will pay big dividends on your utility bill. Inspecting your home for leaks or inefficient insulation is essential to keeping your house comfortable and your heating bill low. Here are a few tips to ensure you don’t pay an arm and a leg this winter.
Check Your Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping can deteriorate for many reasons: age, friction, and exposure to the elements. In addition to natural deterioration, people, pets, and pests can also cause damage. You should inspect your windows and doors at least once a year for damage to the weatherstripping and air leakage.
The most obvious sign you have a draft is when you hear air seeping through closed windows or doors. If your window is hard to open or close, or has condensation on or in the glass, you may have faulty insulation. We install Jeld-Wen Windows in your Perkinson Home to ensure ideal energy savings, but always make sure they are fully closed and the locking mechanism is engaged.
If you notice your doors’ stripping is pulling away from the frame, becoming cracked or brittle, then it needs to replaced. If you’re unsure what kind of stripping you need, take your questions to the fine folks at Pleasant’s Hardware and they’ll be happy to help.
Attic Blanket
Your attic might not be at the forefront of your mind, but it should be. Leaks and gaps in insulation can make it difficult to heat your home properly. Check your attic for leaks on a rainy day and search for wet spots or dripping.
Every Perkinson Home comes with an attic blanket. When you climb up to get your holiday decorations, don’t forget to put it back in its place! Having the attic blanket in place will keep the warm air from rising up into an unused space while also keeping cool air from sneaking in.
How to Light Your Fireplace
When cold weather arrives, you’ll probably want to cozy up next to a warm fire. If you have a Perkinson gas fireplace, there are some steps you’ll need to follow in order to get it in working properly. Here’s what to do:
1. Start by making sure the main shut off valve is open.
2. Looking at your gas fireplace, there will be two knobs/buttons on the right-hand side. The knob on the right is what controls the pilot light. Turn this knob towards the arrow marking the pilot light.
3. Push gas supply button. You will hear the gas begin to release.
4. Holding this in, hit the igniter button (located on the left side of the fireplace).
5. You’ll need to hold the pilot light – anywhere between 20 seconds and up to 10 minutes all depending on how long it’s been since you’ve used your fireplace.
6.Once you release the pilot button, you should see that the flame stays on. This flame should be a fluorescent blue color.
7. Turn the knob to on.
8. From this point, you’ll use the switch on the wall to enjoy your fireplace all winter long!
Insulating your home properly cuts down on heating costs, and who doesn’t love having a little extra cash around the holidays?
Have questions regarding your Perkinson Home? Reach out to us today!
