Well, it is officially cold weather season! Are you ready for it? More importantly, is your home ready for it? There are many things you need to consider when getting your home ready for the winter weather. Remember when I talked about indoor air pollution? You may recall that I mentioned it could cause cold-like symptoms due to dust, allergens, dander, dirt and more pollutants floating around your home. Make sure you replace your air filters before the next season arrives! This will help to clear out all of the pollutants that are currently floating around.
If you have already changed your air filters and notice that you are still experiencing the symptoms (burning eyes, cough, runny nose, sneezing, sinus problems, headaches and more), you might want to look into getting or upgrading your current air purifier. Some of them even have an electrical charge that kills air pollution! Technology has come such a long way. If we can afford to take advantage of it, we should.
If you have an attic, consider putting a layer of foam weather-stripping to the attic hatch. During the winter, most attic hatches will let warm air seep out of your room if you have a leak in the hatch. It is likely that most hatches will have leaks if they do not already have any sort of leak-block on them such as the foam weather-strippers.
Make sure the seals on your windows and their frames are tight. If you notice a significant amount of space or opening during the window and the framing, try applying some latex acrylic caulking around the problem areas. That will help to keep the heat in your home and the cold air out where it belongs.
Lastly, if you have carpeting in your home, you may want to check underneath the carpeting against the walls to make sure there are no cracks or openings that could cause energy loss. Another important thing to consider is if your home has a fireplace, make sure the glass doors are closed tightly when it is not in use. The cold air can easily come down into your home, but if you have it sealed off then you have nothing to worry about.
