Winterizing Tips for Homeowners

by Audrey Ryan | Oct 12, 2019 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

A lot of homeowners have winterizing on their list of things to do this Fall. There are many benefits to winterizing your home in preparation for colder weather. You’ll be more comfortable and prepared when the Austin occasional lows hit the hill country. Winterizing your home poses unique electrical safety issues. The best time to address these is before the temperature drops.

StarTech Electric recommends several simple steps to winterize your home:

If you winterize electrical outlets, be careful to use materials that won’t burn. Check for loose wires or connections, as they can cause shocks or electrocution. If an outlet wiggles or seems to have loose wires, call a qualified electrician to repair it.

Trees

Make sure your trees on your property are trimmed and that no part of the tree is close to wires. Trees can sometimes break when weighed down by ice or snow. The debris can fall on wiring or power lines and cause an electrical hazard or power loss.

Electrical Cords

Don’t run electrical cords under carpeting or rugs to prevent damage when people walk on top of them. They can also overheat and cause a fire.

Heaters

Check the cords on all heating devices for any part that might be damaged. Keep them away from children and flammable objects.

Furnace

Check and clean your furnace or heat pump before you need it, or hire a service technician to to do it. Or, set your thermostat on “heat” at 80 degrees to test it. If you don’t feel heat emitting within a few minutes, you’ll know service is needed. If you hear funny sounds or smell something odd, turn off the furnace and call a service technician. Mechanical problems can lead to fires.

Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

With so much happening to keep your home comfortable and warm, your safety detectors need to be extra ready for use. Combustion furnaces can release gases such as carbon monoxide. Test your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors, and replace the batteries if needed.

If you take good measures to prepare your home for colder weather, you’ll stay safe and comfortable. If you uncover any electrical maintenance that needs to be done, call StarTech Electric for assistance.