Winterizing your home will not only keep you more comfortable, but also minimize your heating costs. In some cases, winterizing can also help improve your home’s safety.

Before curling up with some spiced cider, take the following steps to winterize your home:

Check All Windows and Doors for Drafts

A poorly-insulated home lets warm air out and cold air in, making heating systems work harder to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. All that extra energy translates into higher heating bills. Look for cracks around windows, doors and perimeter walls. If you notice gaps or cracks, buy a caulking gun or home insulation kit at your local hardware store, then put it to use.

Clean All Ducts and Vents

Clogged vents increase energy costs and can pose fire hazards. Take your dryer; clogged dryer vents cost homeowners an extra $18 to $24 every month and cause 15,500 fires each year. Most manufacturers suggest that you clean your dryer vent once a year, so make it part of your winterizing process. One company, Dryer Vent Wizard (www.dryerventwizard.com), professionally inspects and cleans clothing dryers, ensuring a safer and more energy-efficient home.

Check Your Pipes

Pipes that lack proper insulation can crack and leak, damaging your home. Thoroughly drain all garden hoses before putting them in storage. Drain air conditioner pipes, and turn off your air conditioner’s shut-off valve. Hot water composes a hefty chunk of your utility bill, so consider purchasing a water heater blanket for your water heater. Make sure that all hot water pipes are insulated. You can purchase heat tape or pipe insulation at hardware stores.

Clean Your Heating System

If your HVAC has clean vents and filters, it will produce more heat more efficiently. Consider hiring a professional service to make sure that your HVAC runs efficiently this winter.

Courtesy: NewsUSA

Vent-free fireplaces often have up to three see-through walls, making them a spectacular design feature for any home, particularly a winter home. The top of the fireplace can also be left see-through, or an insulated top can be added, providing a valuable, functional horizontal surface on which to place a TV set, books, accessories, or framed photographs.

Surrounds for vent-free fireplaces can be adapted to fit virtually any interior design style, from traditional to modern to country, and everything in between.

Opponents Of Vent-free Fireplaces

Those who oppose the use of vent-free fireplaces say they are unsafe and unhealthy. These opponents point out that, while natural gas fireplaces may not emit particulate emissions, combustion of natural gas produces gas by-products that can be harmful to the environment. When these gas by-products are released indoors, the environment that they are harmful to is the air homeowners are breathing in their homes.

In addition to emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and sulphur dioxide, a vent-free fireplace also emits water vapor. In a damp climate, water vapor can collect inside the house, leading to problems with mold and condensation. In fact, the amount of water that goes into a home from a vent-free fireplace for every 100,000 BTUs of gas burned can be up to one full gallon of water. Unless homeowners have a system in place for handling all this water vapor, their vent-free fireplace might be doing them more harm than good.

Direct-Vent Fireplace – A Good Alternative

A direct-vent fireplace can be installed in nearly every application where a vent-free fireplace would also work. Furthermore, a direct-vent fireplace can be installed in a corner unit, so two sides of the fireplace are see-through. Direct-vent gas fireplaces are sealed, so all the harmful gases are released outdoors through the product’s venting system. In the outdoor environment, these gases can mix with other environmental gas naturally present in the atmosphere, reducing the harmful effects of these gases in your home.

In summary, vent-free fireplaces should not be seriously considered by anyone who wants their fireplace for more than just looks. A direct-vent gas fireplace is a safer alternative.

About the author: Percy Troughton runs his own garden center as well as running several shopping based websites. Check out these great Interior Design Online articles and guides.
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Article Source: EzineArticles