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11 TIPS TO WINTERIZING YOUR SOUTH CAROLINA HOME

Real Estate Tips

11 TIPS TO WINTERIZING YOUR SOUTH CAROLINA HOME

In February 2014, the Myrtle Beach area experienced frigid temperatures and freezing rain creating an ice storm the Grand Strand area hadn’t seen since the 1940s. Below freezing in most parts of the Myrtle Beach area, there was ice on the roads, trees, and cars—some areas with ¼” of ice or more. With ice weighing down trees, limbs and branches were snapping off falling on power lines, car, and even people. That February, South Carolina was declared a state of emergency, with approximately 350,000 people without power. Though this is a rarity for homeowners of Myrtle Beach real estate and North Myrtle Beach real estate, we should still prepare.

Clean your gutters

Clean debris such as branches, sticks and leaves from your gutters so that rain can flow freely. If trapped, the water could pool up under the roof and into your attic. Since we live in the South, ice is less of a culprit. However, there are times Myrtle Beach real estate does get icy and you’ll want to be sure that after the ice melts, the water has somewhere to flow.

Check windows

On a windy day, wave a lit candle in front of each window. If the flame dances, there is likely a leaky seal. Not only is the cold air seeping in, but your heating bill is going up. Window insulator kits can be found at your local hardware store. If you have a leak, weather-resistant caulk can solve your problem on the outside of your North Myrtle Beach real estate. Weather stripping is a great tool, as well. Consider using storm windows which can increase your home energy efficiency by 45%. Caulk any gaps between the window trim and the exterior siding.

Have your chimney inspected

If your fireplace is the centerpiece of your winter, be sure to have a certified chimney sweep come over to inspect and sweep your chimney thoroughly. Thousands of fires each winter originate in chimneys filled with combustibles or obstructions. Try to have this done before the soot builds up and reaches ¼” thickness inside the chimney flue of your North Myrtle Beach real estate.

Reverse your fan

Did you know that on most fans there is a switch that allows you to reverse the direction of the fan blades to push warm air down therefore forcing it to recirculate throughout the room of your Myrtle Beach real estate. In the winter, the ceiling fan should spin in a clockwise direction—in the summer you would want it to spin counterclockwise. Not only will this make you more comfortable on those cold winter days, but it’ll cut your home energy costs.

Wrap pipes

Again, we don’t deal with freezing pipes often around here, but it can happen within Myrtle Beach real estate. Frozen pipes can lead to pipes bursting from the water pressure. With that, you’re looking at replacing the pipes and cleaning up the damage. By insulating your pipes, you can reduce heat loss which will save you some dough on your gas bill. By wrapping your pipes with insulation, this will not only prevent your pipes from freezing, but it will also conserve your water since you won’t be waiting for the hot water to arrive to your shower…warm pipes will allow for warmer water sooner. At your local hardware store you can find pre-slit pipe foam and DIY by cutting the foam to the precise length of your pipe, wrap it and secure it with duct tape.

Insulate attic

To help maintain the maximum energy efficiency in your Myrtle Beach real estate, your attic needs a minimum of 12 inches of insulation. Keeping your attic well-ventilated and insulated will minimize the amount of heat rising from the house into the attic. Simply by adding more fiberglass insulation to your attic could make a huge difference.

Trim trees and remove dead branches

Take time to trim trees that are close to your Myrtle Beach real estate. Imagine if there were an ice storm, do you see any branches hanging over your house or driveway that could potentially cause damage if it fell. Remove dead branches and look around at the foliage to make sure they’re not touching power lines, too.

Seal doors

A relatively inexpensive way to manage the winter weather is to purchase foam weather stripping from a hardware store near your Myrtle Beach real estate. Seal it snug around your doors to block out drafts. Additionally, a rubber door sweep can keep chilly drafts at bay. Be sure to check the exterior siding as well. If purchasing a storm door is of interest to you, there are federal tax credits to offset the cost to you.

 

 

In February 2014, the Myrtle Beach area experienced frigid temperatures and freezing rain creating an ice storm the Grand Strand area hadn’t seen since the 1940s. Below freezing in most parts of the Myrtle Beach area, there was ice on the roads, trees, and cars—some areas with ¼” of ice or more. With ice weighing down trees, limbs and branches were snapping off falling on power lines, car, and even people. That February, South Carolina was declared a state of emergency, with approximately 350,000 people without power. Though this is a rarity for homeowners of Myrtle Beach real estate and North Myrtle Beach real estate, we should still prepare.

Clean your gutters

Clean debris such as branches, sticks and leaves from your gutters so that rain can flow freely. If trapped, the water could pool up under the roof and into your attic. Since we live in the South, ice is less of a culprit. However, there are times Myrtle Beach real estate does get icy and you’ll want to be sure that after the ice melts, the water has somewhere to flow.

Check windows

On a windy day, wave a lit candle in front of each window. If the flame dances, there is likely a leaky seal. Not only is the cold air seeping in, but your heating bill is going up. Window insulator kits can be found at your local hardware store. If you have a leak, weather-resistant caulk can solve your problem on the outside of your North Myrtle Beach real estate. Weather stripping is a great tool, as well. Consider using storm windows which can increase your home energy efficiency by 45%. Caulk any gaps between the window trim and the exterior siding.

Have your chimney inspected

If your fireplace is the centerpiece of your winter, be sure to have a certified chimney sweep come over to inspect and sweep your chimney thoroughly. Thousands of fires each winter originate in chimneys filled with combustibles or obstructions. Try to have this done before the soot builds up and reaches ¼” thickness inside the chimney flue of your North Myrtle Beach real estate.

 

 

Reverse your fan

Did you know that on most fans there is a switch that allows you to reverse the direction of the fan blades to push warm air down therefore forcing it to recirculate throughout the room of your Myrtle Beach real estate. In the winter, the ceiling fan should spin in a clockwise direction—in the summer you would want it to spin counterclockwise. Not only will this make you more comfortable on those cold winter days, but it’ll cut your home energy costs.

Wrap pipes

Again, we don’t deal with freezing pipes often around here, but it can happen within Myrtle Beach real estate. Frozen pipes can lead to pipes bursting from the water pressure. With that, you’re looking at replacing the pipes and cleaning up the damage. By insulating your pipes, you can reduce heat loss which will save you some dough on your gas bill. By wrapping your pipes with insulation, this will not only prevent your pipes from freezing, but it will also conserve your water since you won’t be waiting for the hot water to arrive to your shower…warm pipes will allow for warmer water sooner. At your local hardware store you can find pre-slit pipe foam and DIY by cutting the foam to the precise length of your pipe, wrap it and secure it with duct tape.

Insulate attic

To help maintain the maximum energy efficiency in your Myrtle Beach real estate, your attic needs a minimum of 12 inches of insulation. Keeping your attic well-ventilated and insulated will minimize the amount of heat rising from the house into the attic. Simply by adding more fiberglass insulation to your attic could make a huge difference.

Trim trees and remove dead branches

Take time to trim trees that are close to your Myrtle Beach real estate. Imagine if there were an ice storm, do you see any branches hanging over your house or driveway that could potentially cause damage if it fell. Remove dead branches and look around at the foliage to make sure they’re not touching power lines, too.

Seal doors

A relatively inexpensive way to manage the winter weather is to purchase foam weather stripping from a hardware store near your Myrtle Beach real estate. Seal it snug around your doors to block out drafts. Additionally, a rubber door sweep can keep chilly drafts at bay. Be sure to check the exterior siding as well. If purchasing a storm door is of interest to you, there are federal tax credits to offset the cost to you.

Check your alarms and fire extinguishers

With North Myrtle Beach real estate homeowners running their boilers and furnaces more in the winter, there is an increase in cases of carbon monoxide poisoning and fires in the home. Be sure to take the time to replace the batteries in y our smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If your detector is older than 10 years, replace it.

Have your furnace inspected

Call your Myrtle Beach real estate HVAC professional to come inspect your furnace and the heating ducts. The technician can check for leaks and seal them where necessary.

Install a programmable thermostat

By installing a programmable Energy Star thermostat in your North Myrtle Beach real estate, you can lower the temperature when no one is at home and at night when everyone is asleep. Furthermore, if your family spends most of their time in one room in a larger home, you could set your thermostat to a lower temperature in the lesser used rooms.

Whether or not we get to enjoy the 60s and 70s we’ve seen so far this January, it’s always best to prepare for the worst—for us on the coast, this means cold, cold weather. If you are in the market to buy or sell a home here along the sunny Grand Strand, please call one of our Myrtle Beach real estate agents at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Elliott Coastal Living today!

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