If you live in Butler County or Greater Cincinnati, it's necessary to prepare for what is most commonly a blistering winter. But, how can you know if your home is ready for winter? A couple of hours spent winterizing your home can actually save you from uncomfortably chilly nights, ensure that your HVAC unit is running efficiently and smoothly and prevent unnecessary spending on energy expenses.

Here are some simple and effective ways to get the home ready for winter:

• Effective levels of insulation in the attic are beneficial for many reasons. Insulation prevents the loss of conditioned air from your living spaces, and helps prevent ice dams. You can either assess and insulate the attic yourself, or the preferred method, get a professional to do the job.
• Do a thorough check of the rubber gasket on the sill of each door; if the gasket is torn or worn, replace it.
• Check each window in your home for air leaks. Look for damaged or worn caulk, and use your hand or a lit match to feel for air leaks. Just one window that lets in cold air can add up to a significant amount of lost energy over the season. Replace the caulk around the window, apply weatherstripping, or simply cover the whole window using weather-proofing plastic.
• Call in an HVAC contractor to service your heating system. The service ensures that the heating equipment will perform over the entire duration of the heating season, and prevent unnecessary breakdowns. A tune-up will also ensure the heating system operates at peak efficiency. The technician will also look for issues or problems with the unit -- before they become significant, costly problems.
• Install a programmable thermostat if you do not already have one to keep utility bills down.

If you have any questions on how to get your Butler County or Greater Cincinnati home ready for winter and improve your comfort level, feel free to contact Tri-County Heating & Cooling. 

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