Winter is on it's way! It's important to take some steps to help keep your energy bills low. Your maintenance staff at June Palms Property Management wants to help you keep your home warm and energy efficient. Here are some things to check before Old Man Winter shows up at your door:
- Check to be sure all of your storm windows are down and secured
- Take a look at the weatherstripping around your entry doors to be sure it is in good repair and very little light, if any, is seen with the door shut
- Check the caulking around the windows and trim to help eliminate any drafts coming into your home
- Make sure your furnace filter is clean, a dirty filter will cause it to work less efficiently
- Open your shades during the day, if possible, to allow the sunlight to help warm your home
- Turn your thermostat down no more than 6 degrees from the normal operating temperature when you leave your home for the day. The thermostat should never be set lower than 60 degrees during freezing weather to help keep your pipes from becoming frozen
- During extremely cold weather, when temperatures are below 20 degrees, Residents should turn both hot and cold water faucets on until they drip, to help prevent pipes from freezing. This is especially true in older homes and those fixtures which pipes run along exterior walls
- Plastic may be put up on windows to help reduce drafts. Be sure to use a plastic window kit and follow the instructions on the package. Other types of plastic such as a trash bags or plastic film used for painting drops or other purposes should not be used. The use of duct tape to secure such plastic is not recommended as it can cause significant damage when eventually removed.