BBB: Tips for combating Winter & # 39; s Storm

Cold, wind, ice and snow. Everything we know comes. Kansas Winter can hit hard, especially for those who have their houses for the seasonal changes unprepared. Now that the weather is warm, it's time to take the necessary precautions for the potential cost and inconvenience of another winter here in the Great Plains. Your Better Business Bureau has advice for those who want the challenge of the head during the winter.

Within

Keep the heat inside a fire in a fireplace and a long sleep oven to life cranked my. These measures should not be overlooked:

■ Your home will soon new service it is time, an annual inspection and cleaning have made your chimney. Bird nests, leaves and soot can cause a fire or smoke damage to your home. See the flyer that come to your home this season advertising rates for clean abnormally low and check chimneys. Unscrupulous opportunists are known to bring concrete cracks and debris that it. As "proof" that the chimney liner is damaged and needs a costly replacement Get more than one opinion before large sums for repairs to the fireplace.

■ Make sure that your furnace inspected and cleaned. Normally, a furnace of the house has a lifespan of about 15 years before need major repairs or replacement. Set your thermostat controlled and also consider a computerized system to save energy and money. Air filter will probably have to be cleaned or replaced.

■ Consider insulating heating pipes. Poorly insulated pipes can cause up to 60 percent of the loss of hot air in a home central heating, according to the Ministry of Energy. Vacuum dust and dirt from the vents.

■ Check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide. Install new batteries if needed, and to replace the entire unit after 10 years.

■ Check around windows and doors for cracks, which may allow it to escape the heat. Use caulking to seal all found. Even small cracks and holes may have a cumulative effect on the escape of heat. Make sure all windows attic, closed because heat rises.

Open air

Here are some steps to ensure that the exterior of your home is ready for the cold:

■ Clean gutters of all obstacles to stand by the water and meet. Frozen water can cause damage. Downpipes can hooves sheets have caused gutters to overflow and damage the structure of your home.

■ Check ridge vents to ensure they are open, so that his house to "breathe".

■ Remove and store hoses against the possibility of a severe frost on your pipes and to protect themselves.

■ garden furniture prolong life by the winter.

■ Check the tiles before the snow to go and minor repairs and avoid later expensive.

■ Prepare for winter snowfall by ensuring the ice melting products and that the snow removal tools you can easily find them if necessary.

Take some of the punch of onslaught of winter preparing for now. If you have questions about winter preparations, please contact the accreditation by calling (800) 856-2417 or visit our website at bbbinc.org.

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