Preparing Your Air-Conditioner for Winter

Winter and preparing for winter -- the two seasons in Minnesota and other northern climes. In fairness, you could also go with winter and road construction, but this is a blog about homes, not roads, so there you go.


An important place to start is understanding that air conditioners are meant to be outside and are designed to do that with very little winterizing needed.

I've noticed that many homeowners feel compelled to wrap their air conditioner for the winter months -- something like a swaddling baby -- and some just don't want to hear about how that could cause some bad things to happen.

What bad things, you ask. Well wrapping your air conditioner cause a pocket of air to be trapped around the unit which causes humidity to stay in the unit and this causes the electrical components to corrode and fail.

If you are still feeling resistance to leaving the air conditioner uncovered, you may be thinking about all the rodents that you wanted to house over the winter. They love the protected space and will make some fantastic rodent housing and as an added bonus, they may even eat through the wiring inside your air conditioner.

Do you have additional tips? Share them in the comments.

Energy Assistance - Minnesota

We really have two seasons here -- winter and getting ready for winter. Every year it gets harder to love living here: snow, wind, cold, below zero, ice...

Winter can be really daunting, especially if you are struggling to make ends meet and you see winter rapidly approaching over the horizon.

The Energy Assistance Program can help you pay energy costs-- like your heating bill-- between Oct 1 and Sept 30 each year. If you qualify, you could receive a grant to cover some of your energy expenses and the grant is paid directly to your energy provider, to reduce your energy bill.

Additionally, if you receive Energy Assistance, you may qualify for weatherization services. These services can improve your home's energy efficiency and lower your energy bill.

Furnace repair or replacement assistance is also available.

Please share your energy saving tips in the comments. 

Links:
Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin - Home Rehab Services 
Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin - Energy Assistance Program 
Minnesota Energy 
Minnesota Energy : Low Income Assistance 
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties
Minnesota Energy Assistance (EAP) Service Provider List 

Image: Riley

Winterize Your Home - Roof, Gutter, Downspouts

 Flickr/Sage Taking A Break

Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

• In Minnesota, you know the temperatures are going to be below freezing so you will want to be sure you have enough insulation in your attic to keep warm air from creeping up to your roof and causing ice dams. 
  
• Check flashing to make certain the water can't get into your house. If you aren't certain what roof flashing is, This Old House has some helpful information.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles to protect your roof and keep the weather on the exterior of your house. 
• Clean out any leaves, pine needles, acorns and other items in the gutters. Use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris. Having the gutters and downspouts in good working condition will help move moisture away from your house and keep you nice and dry inside.
• Install extensions on your downspouts to direct the water away from your house. You can also look into leaf guards for your gutters, but make sure you investigate how well they work, some styles are much better than others. 

Winterize Your Home - Windows and Doors

Photo by Riley

Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

• Inspect the exterior of your house for crevice cracks; exposed entry points around pipes and faucets and seal them to prevent cold air from seeping in and keep rodents out.
• Use weatherstripping around doors to help seal them and prevent cold air from drafting into your house. While you are working on the weatherstripping, run some caulk around the edges of your windows.
• This is the time to fix cracked glass in windows and doors. If you need to replace an entire window glass, be sure to prime and paint the exposed wood so it is ready to go through winter. Most local hardware stores fix windows in case you need to have that done. 
• If you have a basement, it would be a great idea to protect the window wells by covering them with plastic shields. This will keep water and debris from filling up the well space and causing water to leak into the house.
• Now is the time to take your screens down and clean them for winter storage. Then put your storm windows in to help insulate the house. If you don't have storm windows, you can always put up 3M window insulator film to help keep your house warmer. 

Winterize Your Home - Furnace Inspection

Flickr/Photofarmer

Winter is coming, have you had your furnace inspected so you are ready for the first cold snap? Here are some tips to get ready.

Furnace Inspection

• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace. If you want, you can have them clean your ducts too, be sure they pull all the gunk outside your home. This step will let you know your furnace is in good condition and is ready to work through the cold season.
• Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly. This time of year there are lots of sales on filters so you should be able to find plenty to get you through the entire season at a good price.
• Consider adding a programmable thermostat. The cost usually runs between $30 and $250 dollars. These thermostats save energy and money on utility bills by allowing residents to set home temperatures according to various different factors. Most homeowners save $150 per year when these are used properly.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace. No sense in taking the chance that your entire house will burn because of careless placement of burnable items.