With below freezing temperatures on the horizon, Lou Blessing, owner of the Blessing Company, a plumbing, heating and cooling services business, shares eight steps homeowners can take to prepare for winter.
Blessing suggests that homeowners should:
- Have their furnace inspected, checked and cleaned.
- Replace their furnace filter every year to maintain proper air flow.
- Have ductwork professionally cleaned out every 10 to 20 years.
- Have ductwork sealed by a professional.
- Buy energy star appliances, guaranteed to be 94 percent or more efficient, to save on utility costs. “For every dollar worth of gas you buy, you will have 94 cents worth of heat coming into your home,” says Blessing.
- Get an energy audit from their utility company and look into rebates you may have coming for upgrading to more energy efficient appliances and practices.
- “Run your fan constantly so air is always circulating,” says Blessing. “It will only cost you pennies a day and improve the comfort of your home tremendously.”
- Cover air conditioning units outside with plastic to increase the life of the unit.
By following these steps, Blessing believes homeowners can expect a longer lifetime for appliances, better air quality, cheaper utility bills and a more comfortable home.
Greening of the Great Lakes airs inside MSU Today Sunday afternoons at 4:00 on AM 870.