How to Winterize Your Plumbing, Windows and Doors
As winter approaches, there are several things you can do to protect your home from the elements and make it more energy efficient. Keep yourself and your family warm this winter and learn how to winterize your plumbing, windows and doors in this Lowe’s video:
Plumbing:
Often the first things to fail are the outdoor faucets or the pipes that they’re attached to. That’s because this is where the pipes are most directly exposed to the outside cold. Unlike a standard faucet, a SharkBite Sillcock faucet has a valve that’s not directly exposed to the outside elements; it comes in 8-inch and 12-inch lengths. Replacing your old faucet is easy:
- Turn off the water.
- Open the faucet and let the water drain out.
- Up under the house, cut the pipe, but make sure you don’t cut it too short.
- Back outside, remove the old faucet and slide the SharkBite Sillcock into place. Fill the hole in the wall with a waterproof sealant and screw it all securely into the wall.
- Now back under the house, you’re ready to make your connection. Clean up the pipe and remove any rough edges. With the SharkBite depth gauge, make a mark on your pipe. Now insert the pipe into the SharkBite connection all the way to your mark.
- Turn the water back on, check for leaks and you’re done.
Consider insulating your pipes with foam tubing. Just cut it to the lengths you need using a utility knife or a pair of shears. For elbows, you can get foam corners. Split the tubing and wrap it around your pipes. Make sure you loosely wrap a little bit of duct tape around the insulation along the way to keep it secure. Insulation works best if it has a little bit of room to breathe. If your house is on a slab or you can’t otherwise get to your plumbing, you can install a faucet cover that will insulate your faucet from direct exposure.
Windows and Doors:
Use an incense stick or candle to check for drafts around the windows and doors. Having a significant number of drafts is like having a big hole in your house where you’re losing heat.
Weatherstripping your windows is easy. Start by cleaning the ends of the sashes with a little soap and water, and then wipe them down with rubbing alcohol to remove any remaining residue. Cut your weatherstripping to size, peel off the back, and press it firmly into place on the bottom sash. Repeat on the top sash, and then close and latch the windows securely.
For weatherstripping your doors, just clean your door stops and apply the weatherstripping top to bottom. This will help make your door close nice and tight and minimize any drafts. Also, you’d be surprised at how much heat you lose from under your door; a foam cloth weather strip that slides onto the bottom of your door will help stop that draft.
Caulk around your window and door frames inside and out and make sure you use a waterproof caulk for outside.
For more insulation, you can get a window insulation shrink kit; it’s easy to install, and all you need is a hairdryer. Cut the plastic sheet to size with a little extra. Apply the tape around the window frame, stretch the plastic around the window and press into place. Follow with a quick blast with the hairdryer and a trim, and you’re done.
HVAC and Ceiling Fans:
It’s probably a good time to change your HVAC filters so your furnace will run at maximum efficiency. Also, change the direction of your ceiling fans to clockwise to help distribute the warm air throughout your house more evenly.
