SAN ANTONIO — Do not wait to winterize.
We are approaching the anniversary of the February winter storm. It is unlikely another polar vortex of that magnitude will hit again, but it is best to be ready instead of scrambling.
Do not let Old Man Winter catch you off guard, again.
“There’s truly nothing worse, especially when you’re just cold and you’re trying to fix things quickly and maybe there’s a storm,” said Sami Allen, a home expert with Forbes Advisor.
Start by cleaning your gutters.
“Since they direct rainwater and snow away from your roof, it’s super important to keep them maintained,” Allen said.
Next dodge the draft to keep the cold out and the heat.
“We go around the house and we make sure every single nook and crevice around the windows, around the doors, are covered, especially with weather stripping or with caulking just to make sure that little flow of air is not coming in,” said Billy Sanez with AdvantaClean.
The February winter storm showed us just how easily pipes burst and how expensive repairs are. So protect your pipes.
“One thing I recommend are faucet covers. You know you can get these online for very cheap,” Sanez said. “They’re very easy to install, especially for your outside garden hose, because that’s the first thing that will freeze.”
Exposed pipes need to be insulated, but you can create a quick fix with newspaper or packing paper.
“You can crumple it up and then use something like masking tape around it,” said Sanez.
Simple fixes can save you some major money on heating and repairs.
“These are $4 or $5 fixes,” Sanez said. “Small things like weather stripping, like bundling up your pipes, and covering them up with help you save 10 to 15 percent.”
It will also help protect you from winter weather emergencies.
The Better Business Bureau said to get at least three separate estimates if you use a contractor like a plumber, carpenter or landscaper to help winterize your home.
It also recommends staggering payments throughout the project. It warns to be cautious of contractors that demand a large percentage of the total cost upfront or give vague answers to your questions. Look up contractors using the BBB before you hire one. Look not only at the letter grade, but the star rating and complaints.
Be sure to also replace the air filter for your furnace and clean your chimney if you have one.