Nicole Lopez (00:01):
Kaput. She had enough. Basically, I'm recording this episode in the cold and today we're diving into a topic that's on maybe essentially all homeowners and probably on your mind as the temperatures begin to drop. I know this is a podcast, but I really need to set the scene. Am recording this episode, dressed in a comfy, warm sweater. My coldest night of the year took and a knitted scarf, a gift from one of my clients and light winter gloves. It happened to me. By the way, my getup doesn't match. It's just some of my favorite pieces. Oh, I forgot. And I have a cup of hot tea for comfort.
(01:21):
This week after a routine check, I received the verdict. Time to lay to rest your furnace. I screamed inside. This can't be. However, I came to the quick realization that I needed to lay my trusted furnace to rest. She served me well over the years, no issues until now. When she just went kaput, she had enough. Basically, I'm recording this episode in the cold. For someone who loves warm weather, it was at first a shock I used to layer. Now I'm an evangelist on this topic. Layer, layer, layer, layer, layer. That's the way to go. Hello everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Real Estate with Nicole. I'm your host Nicole, and today we're diving into a topic that's on maybe essentially all homeowners and probably on your mind as the temperatures begin to drop, and that's winterizing your home in the greater Toronto area with winter, just around the corner, it's time to get prepared, whether you're seasoned, pro or new to Canadian winters.
(03:04):
This episode will help you stay warm and cozy all season long and may even help to save you money and prevent a heating emergency in the middle of a snowstorm. Let's jump right into it. Oh yeah, and grab a cup of your favorite beverage. Okay, so why is winterizing your home important? Winterizing your home is more than just a seasonal task that you do every fall. Check this, check that it's actually a smart investment in your property's longevity and your own personal comfort so you don't have to bundle up like I have been doing. Here are some key reasons why it's essential. Number one, and these are not in order of preference or priority, but number one on my list is energy efficiency. Proper winterization can significantly reduce your energy consumption and ultimately lead to lower utility costs.
(04:23):
Also. Number two, it also prevents damage. Cold weather can cause pipes to freeze and bursts, and roofs to leak and other structural issues that you may not even think about. Winterizing helps to mitigate some of these risks. As I mentioned earlier, comfort ensure your home is well insulated and draft free keeps your living environment comfortable and warm. So the next one is property value. Maintaining your home through the winter can preserve or even enhance the value of your property or investment over time. So this is a point I cannot stress enough. It seems really innocuous and oh yeah, property value, but it's actually truly important.
(05:27):
My personal experience with buyers is many of these savvy buyers and investors often ask a lot of questions considering the age of the HVAC system. So that's the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. They want to know about the windows when they were last replaced, the types of windows and things like that. They really do take some of this information into account when assessing a property of interest. So ensuring appropriate maintenance of energy efficiency is a question that comes up frequently than it did in the past. Additionally, the government is advocating for greener energy efficiency and they have some programs available for homeowners to incentivize those who are interested in upgrading their current energy systems. Okay, so that's why it's important. So let's get into some stats.
(06:35):
Did you know that about 60% of energy costs go towards heating your home and about 40% of home heat is lost during the winter due to air leakage. These are data from various sources such as Hydro One and EnerCare respectively. So it's really important information for you to think about in terms of how can you be energy efficient at the same time as you winterize your property, your home, your investment. So I'm going to address some key tips for winterizing your home. So now that we understand the importance, let's explore some of these practical tips that can help you prepare your home for a GTA freezing cold winter. Let's hope there are no ice storms this year. Okay, number one on my list is insulating your home. So let's seal the deal with some of the basics, and that's by adding winter stripping or assessing winter stripping.
(07:52):
So walls, doors and windows are your home's first line of defense against drafts, and it's estimated that as much as 38% of heat can be lost through these cracks in these areas. So that's up to 38% just depending on your particular situation and your home. It's highly recommended that you check your doors, windows, walls for any drafts and seal them with weather stripping and caulking as the situation dictates. This will help to keep cold air out and warm air in, and this is why replacing old or worn out strips and caulking around your doors can really make a difference. And don't forget those sneaky spots like the baseboards and electrical outlets where drafts may be hiding. A quick tip or trick that I learned is to use or to light an incense stick or use a damp hand to test to see whether or not you can feel a draft in those particular elusive leaky areas.
(09:19):
Another stat is that as much as 16% of heat in your home is lost through glass windows as glass naturally has pour insulation qualities, as many of you probably are aware. So one way to mitigate heat loss through the windows is to install thermal curtains. These can help retain the heat in your home and block out those cold drafts from entering through the windows. I know growing up, my mom was a big advocate with regards to those thermal window coverings, those heavier drapes, and it really did keep the cool air out and keep the warm air in because we noticed when we changed to a more sheer window covering, you could definitely feel the draft. And ultimately we went back to using thermal window coverings on those windows.
(10:32):
Another topic, an item is to really think about upgrading your installation because it's estimated that up to 17% of heat is lost through the frame on the walls and as much as 15% from a poorly insulated attic. And it's important to really consider these areas and improving that insulation to help keep the warm air in and the cool air out. Tip number two on my list is to maintain your heating system thinking about a furnace checkup. So your furnace is the powerhouse of your home's. Heating and regular maintenance is key to keeping it running smoothly. It's crucial to clean and replace filters regularly and include a professional tuneup or maintenance program that can prevent unexpected breakdowns during a snowstorm. I am personally blessed to have identified the situation early, though I think reset my yearly tuneup to a bit earlier in the fall. Trust me, you don't want your furnace to give up when it's freezing outside. This could cause more problems than just freezing toes and fingers. Think about frozen and burst pipes. Schedule a professional inspection of your furnace to ensure it's running efficiently. And as I mentioned earlier, replace filters regularly and this could mean monthly replacement or filters or every three months just depending on your furnace and your particular situation.
(12:39):
Now let's talk about making the most of your heating system smart heating by maximizing your thermostat and fans. Okay, so with regards to fans, this is something new that I personally learned. Did you know that fans, that ceiling fans can be helpful in the winter as well as in the summer? By running them in reverse, you can push warm air down to keep your living spaces cozy. So if you do have a ceiling fan and you have the ability to run it backwards, that's a trick and tip to help keep that warm air down programmable thermostats. So a programmable thermostat can be a game changer for maintaining heating efficiency. These thermostats can help to optimize heating schedules and reduce energy waste and help you to stay comfortable. So in my personal situation, I do not have a programmable thermostat, however, I will be switching to one.
(13:49):
I personally know that these are highly efficient. My father uses one and we are able to easily program heating and cooling. So during the wintertime, we're able to heat according to when people are home and to cool also when people are home, to really optimize energy efficiency within the home. So that's another tip if you have the ability or if you're switching things up with your heating system, think about getting programmable thermostat. So I did mention pipes earlier, so protect your pipes, pipes in the basement, they can lead to costly repairs, but with a little preparation, you can avoid a potential headache. So one of the tips with regards to taking care of pipes in your basement or in your garage, so any pipe that is exposed, make sure that this is insulated to help prevent freezing and bursting and the potential for flooding in the winter months.
(15:05):
It's really important to really consider this and think about this preventative action. And also there's also a recommendation that sometimes on extremely cold nights, it may be recommended that you let faucets drips just slightly to reduce the risk of frozen pipes, frozen and burst pipes within your home. Again, that depends on your situation and always consult with an expert for your particular home and situation. With regards to some of these maintenance tips, I'll get into number four, which is related to roofs and gutters, a roof inspection. So checking your roof for any missing or damaged shingles because these could cause leaks and repairing them is very necessary to ensure to avoid these leaks not only from water but from air. And it's important to note that about 20 or up to 20% of heat could be lost through the roof. And a tip, and also tip to be a really friendly neighbor, it's important to when you have these windstorms or things that happen and you see a roof or shingles that have come off the roof of your neighbor, please inform them.
(16:33):
I know I've seen that in a couple of my cases and I've gone and told them about the situation so they can rectify it. I'd want them to do it for me. It's a nice tip to be a friendly neighbor and let your neighbors know if you see something that could potentially cause a problem for them down the road. Another tip is cleaning your gutters. Who knew? Removing leaves and debris from gutters will prevent not only overflowing water, but ice dams in the wintertime, and this can cause water damage. And also another tip that from personal experience with neighbors around me, check your downspouts to make sure that they are securely attached. If they're attached to your outside of your home, make sure they're securely attached and not flailing because this can also be another issue, a potential issue for winterizing your home.
(17:36):
For those of us who have a wood-burning chimney, check your chimney. This is another area that could be up to 14% of heat loss in your home, and what you could check for here is for poorly fitted or a missing fireplace damper. Those dampers, if it's missing, it will allow air to flow freely up and down the chimney, ultimately resulting in heat loss and potentially wild animals coming down if you don't have your chimney capped appropriately. So really consider that if you do have a woodburn stove. It's important to consider this tip when you're winterizing or thinking of winterizing your home.
(18:30):
In terms of exterior maintenance, I've really talked majority of interior with the exception of the roof and gutters, but other exterior maintenance sealing cracks. Inspect the exterior of your home for cracks and seal them with caulking or expanding foam. I know when I had someone come out and do some service work for me, they showed me areas where I could seal and things that I can do. So it's really important. You never really think there's any issue, but when someone points it out to you, you're able to easily spot it. So that's another thing you often don't recognize or are able to see it easily, but once someone points it out, you can easily spot those areas that are potential leaks and heat loss with your home.
(19:28):
Another important one is winterizing your outdoor faucets. And what I mean by that is disconnecting your hoses, shutting off your outdoor faucets and preventing any freezing and bursting, and also draining your hoses, draining those faucets. It's important to save. You spent money on your hoses. You want to protect them, not only your faucets, but the tools that you're using to take care and maintain your home. So those are some tips for you to help you with winterizing your home. So after all your hard work, it's time to enjoy your cozy winter ready home. I'll be doing that soon, hopefully. So I'll share some ideas for creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Indoors is sitting by the fireplace, relaxing, sipping on a cup of hot cocoa, reading a book, putting your feet up, or maybe it's just being a couch potato and watching some Netflix or other one of your favorite shows or movies. Winterizing your home doesn't have to be daunting. By following these little tips, you can ensure your home remains safe and warm and efficient throughout the winter months. As always, if you're unsure about any steps or need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to a trusted professional.
(21:14):
Thank you for joining me on today's episode of Real Estate with Nicole Winter Rising. Your home doesn't have to be daunting, and I hope these tips make it feel manageable and even fun. Remember, a little preparation goes a long way in protecting your home, your investment, and saving money this season. Be sure to subscribe and leave a review if you've enjoyed the show. This is Nicole Lopez signing off. Stay warm, informed and proactive. Until next time, happy home Winterizing.
