Thanksgiving has past, and now the winter is really upon us. We still haven't experienced very cold weather, and if you haven't prepared your home for winter, now is the time! Bob McAllister gave some heating tips to SNJ Today this week to help get your home ready for the winter!

1. Put your hoses away. You aren't going to be using your hose all winter long, and if there is any water in there it's simply going to freeze. Putting your hose away now keeps it in good condition and out of the way. Make sure to drain your hose before putting it away too! You don't want water in your storage.

2. Take out your window air conditioning units. Some people put covers on the units, but really the best move is to remove them for the winter. Even a really good installation of a window unit leaves some air pass through the cracks of the window, and most allow a lot of cold air in and hot air out in the winter. Keep your home better insulated by taking them out for the season.

If you are interested in doing away with those window units completely, looking into a ductless unit may be a good solution if you are looking to make a home improvement that will help out all year long.

3. Turn your heater on now! Even if you don't want to start heating your house for the whole winter, turning your system on now to make sure everything is functioning properly is important. Waiting until the heat is absolutely necessary, and then having your system not work can become a big problem. Make sure the heat works, and that the system is heating throughout the house properly. Taking care of this now will save cold nights and expensive repairs later.

4. Change your air filter. Changing out your air filter is inexpensive, and will help keep the air that you are breathing clean. A lot of people don't change their's out from season to season, even though it should be done. There are a few different grades and styles, but we recommend getting the pleated filter. It's not too expensive, and it does a great job of cleaning up the air.

5. Check for leaks in your home. Making sure there isn’t a lot of leakage in your home is key to keeping your home warm, as well as keeping energy bills to a minimum. Leaks around doors and windows are usually obvious and there are products available in hardware stores to take care of these.  Also look for cracks in foundations, leaks or gaps around pipes under sinks or the laundry equipment, and kitchen fans.

6. Attic steps and hatches.  Probably one of the leakiest places allowing cold winter air or super-heated attic air into your living space. You can substantially improve this problem with a stair cover, or weather stripping and foam board insulation.  Not a DIY person? Call us to discuss options.

7. Icicles are a bad sign. This is something to keep in mind for when it does get colder and start to snow. If you see icicles forming on your gutters or rooftop, it may be a sign that heat from your house is getting into your attic.  This can be from the Attic hatch, inadequate insulation or gaps around the plumbing pipes, wiring, bath fans and recessed ceiling lights. Water that runs down your roof and reforms into ice can forms ice dams causing damage to your roof and may actually cause water to leak back into your home. After a snow, if it melts off your roof before your neighbors that’s a problem.

Another great idea is to get your furnace tuned up! Making sure that your equipment is ready to work at full capacity, and is safe, is always a great idea. Right now we are offering a tune up for $99! Click on the button to get your coupon now!

If you have any questions, or feel that you need some professional help getting your home ready for winter you have come to the right place! We have been working with people all over Cape May and Atlantic County, and would be glad to help make your home comfortable all year long. Our phone number is (609) 400-1005, or you could email info@iwantcomfortnow.com!