Comey & Shepherd - Cincinnati Living Online

Fall Project Checklist For a Safer Warmer Home

Fall is the ideal time for weatherization projects. Use this checklist to create and maintain an energy-efficient home without a lot of impact on your wallet. If you need assistance finding reputable and licensed contractors to help you with your projects, let us know and we will give you recommendations!

Check all insulation levels: Check the amount and condition of all visible insulation. This includes the attic, underfloor, kneewalls, skylight shafts and ductwork. A call to your local utility company will tell you what levels are considered optimum for your area, and if repairs are needed and you don’t want to undertake them yourself, they can also recommend qualified insulation and weatherization contractors.

Check and seal heating ducts: Crawling around in the attic or crawlspace isn’t anyone’s idea of a fun afternoon, but
it’s the only way to examine and repair your heating ducts. Check for gaps between ducts and fittings, and seal them with a quality metallic tape–not regular duct tape, which doesn’t last. Also, check to be sure that all of the ducts are up off the ground and adequately supported.

Check weatherstripping: Closely examine each exterior door and window to see that the weatherstripping is doing its job. There should be no visible gaps, the weatherstripping should be clean and undamaged, and windows and doors should operate smoothly and close completely. If any repairs are necessary, you can find everything you need at your local hardware store or home center, or contact a qualified weatherization contractor or handyman.

Seal exterior penetrations: Weatherstripping is not the only culprit when it comes to air leaks. Spend a day working
your way around the outside of the house with a caulking gun and a couple of tubes of high-quality, flexible caulking, and seal any gaps around window and door trim, plumbing and electrical penetrations, flashings and other openings.

Add outlet gaskets: Shut the power, remove switch and outlet plates, and add precut foam outlet gaskets, which are
available from home centers, hardware stores and other retailers.

Upgrade your thermostat: An older thermostat that’s a couple of degrees off can result in a lot of wasted energy,
and so can forgetting to set the thermostat down at night. You can take care of both of those problems with an upgrade to a programmable thermostat.

Clean and service fireplaces and wood stoves: Make sure that your gas, wood, and pellet-burning fireplaces and stoves are clean and operating correctly. If you’re not sure what to look for or how to do any cleaning or repairs, check with a qualified, licensed fireplace shop or chimney sweep.

Install a carbon monoxide detector: If you have any gas appliances in your home, there is always the possibility of
carbon monoxide poisoning should any of them ever malfunction. This is a very real danger, especially as we close our homes up for the winter. These lifesavers are inexpensive and easy to install.

Check smoke detectors: Check to see that your smoke detectors are operating correctly, install fresh batteries, and
make sure that you have at least one detector on each floor of the house.

–Paul Bianchina, Inman News