Tompkins Weekly

Winter is coming – is your home prepared?



Using polyurethane foam in the installation of windows

Using polyurethane foam in the installation of windows

Tompkins Weekly and others are finally celebrating the arrival of fall, but that only means that cold days are upon us, and winter is on its way. For our special Home Improvement issue, we spoke with experts on how to make sure your home is winter-ready.

Winter brings cold, that much is certain, so one of the most common things homeowners worry about this time of year is keeping their houses nice and warm. Elisabeth Harrod, general manager at Snug Planet in Ithaca, told us just how to make sure all the heat stays inside.

Harrod said that it’s just as important to have a good heating system as it is to have good air sealant to keep warm air from escaping outside.

“Air sealing and insulating your home [makes it] more efficient, more comfortable year-round and less expensive to heat and cool, all while keeping all the air your heating system conditioned inside your home,” she said.

Air sealant is often overlooked, said Snug Planet Building Analyst Sarah Cox, because homeowners usually only think of insulation. She said insulation can only do so much without proper sealant.

handyman fixing house door lock

handyman fixing house door lock

“That cold outside air is often coming in next to your boiler or furnace, which is where all the precious heat for the whole house is being created,” she said. “Air leaks are the most costly form of heat loss in a home, and they’re often what leads to the most discomfort.”

Making sure your heating system is efficient goes beyond insulation, Cox said. An efficient heating system is sized properly for the home and uses as little fuel as possible to create the needed heat. Cox said many homes have over-sized heating systems, which isn’t beneficial to the homeowner.

“It can actually end up making the house uncomfortable while also using more fuel than necessary,” Cox said. “If you’re feeling like your heating system cycles on and off a lot or like you’re in a wind tunnel when the furnace fires up and then it shuts off soon after and you get cold again, then you’ve probably got an over-sized heating system and a leaky house.”

Fortunately, insulation, once properly installed, will keep conditioned air inside the home for the house’s lifetime, so homeowners can expect little maintenance there. However, Harrod said, make sure to maintain heating and cooling systems annually with the service provider who installed them. If you’re still looking for a contractor, Harrod has some advice there, too.

“It’s essential to ensure the company has a service department that provides routine maintenance, as well as emergency service,” she said. “If your heating system goes out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter, you want to know that someone will be there to get it back up and running right away.”

All of this can sound rather expensive – from the insulation to the heating systems – but Harrod said this is a common misconception she sees. It’s cheaper in the long run, and, for the environmentally conscious, it helps reduce your carbon footprint.

“Insulating your home and replacing aging and inefficient heating systems with state-of-the-art efficient heating systems powered by renewable electricity will save you money,” she said. “It’s the right thing to do for your wallet and it’s the right thing to do for the planet. How often does that happen?”

Overall, Harrod said, homeowners don’t want to be caught underprepared. Putting off home improvements like these can have major consequences later.

“The consequences of not preparing your home for winter include cold rooms, high bills, ice dams that can lead to roof leaks and frozen or bursting pipes,” she said. “The improvements will improve comfort, lower bills and reduce carbon emissions, which is good for the planet.”

So, your home is nice and toasty, but is it secure? We spoke with a representative from Ace Security in Ithaca for advice on how to make sure your home stays safe this winter.

“When fall comes knocking and winter is around the corner – we need to pay closer attention to the home itself and keeping safe what’s inside,” Ace Security said.

Winter is host to many holidays, they said, which means traveling and possibly leaving a home vulnerable.

“Now is the time to plan ahead, well before leaving town – have a locksmith come look at your home and assess how to improve the security,” Ace Security said.

In addition, school starting means a heavy influx in the population size, more homes occupied with goods to steal and an uptick in possible home invasions.

How to keep an intruder from breaking in? Deadbolts and stronger locks, Ace Security said. Do not assume your home is safe simply because you haven’t had a break-in yet.

“This does not account for attempted break-ins or individuals ‘scoping out’ your home,” Ace Security said.

Ace Security and other locksmiths can work with home owners to find the right CCTV camera systems and get them installed and connected to your TVs or smartphones. Then, you can view the exterior of your home at any time, giving you added security and peace of mind.

Some places you might not think of need added security as well.

“We find that homeowners overlook the fact that sliding glass doors are not at all secure,” Ace Security said. “The built-in latches are weak and tend to dislodge and malfunction easily. Anyone with a sliding glass door would benefit from having a special additional lock mechanism installed to improve security.”

Though it’s important to lock out possible intruders, it’s not so fun when the homeowner or their family gets locked out, too. To avoid this, the representative said, it’s best to upgrade to a key-pad deadbolt to eliminate the need for a key altogether. No matter what, keep your locksmith’s number handy at all times.

“Lock-outs happen all the time, day and night, in all seasons,” they said. “Don’t break a window or destroy a screen; those repairs are far more costly than a call to a locksmith! … We recommend having a keyless, code-entry lock installed on at least one of your exterior doors. Also, people can come to our shop for a quick and easy spare key copy to stash in your car, purse or wallet.”

Stay warm and secure this winter, Tompkins County!

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