It’s Time To Winterize Your Home, Part 3

Dreaming of a white Christmas — or whatever you celebrate and like about winter — is all fine and good, but preparing your home for that season is even more important. Whether you’re the DIY type or the hire-it-out-and-be-done-with-it type, here at D’Amico Electric, we want to encourage you to plan ahead and make sure your home is ready for the colder temperatures. In Part 1 & Part 2 we discussed several ways to do this, and now we’ll look at just a few more.

Draining Your Water Heater

Sedimentary buildup can keep your water heater from functioning optimally. While it only needs to be done every 1-3 years, depending on your equipment and the amount of use and abuse it gets, it does need to be done periodically. Otherwise, the minerals and other debris can build up, causing inefficient, wasted energy — something you don’t want to have to pay for.

Testing All Outlets

While most electrical jobs should be done by a licensed electrician, this is one thing you can do yourself. You can purchase a tester from your local hardware store, or you can just use a standard household lamp. You just have to plug in the tester or light. If you have a tester, press the button labelled “Test.” The lamp should turn off. If the GFCI is in proper working condition, when you press the “Reset” button, the lamp should turn on, once again. If an outlet isn’t working, the issue could be simply because of a loose wire, or it could be due to something more significant. If cords feel hot to the touch, you’ll want to contact your local electrical contractor ASAP.

Testing Alarms

With the cold weather coming and heater ready to get fired up (hopefully not literally!), you’ll want to check your carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm to make sure they’re both in good working order. When you press the “Test” button, the alarms should sound. Even if they do appear to work properly, you should replace batteries each year and replace the entire units every 5 to 10 years, according to manufacturer specifications.

Inspecting for Drafts

Drafts can lead to costly utility bills — and possibly unwanted guests! Check for any loose baseboards or outlets, and examine seals around all windows and doors. For optimal examination, you’ll want to utilize a smoke pen. Then, seal any leaks with caulking or weather stripping — or both.

Preparing Your Generator

The benefits of a standby generator are many, but just having one isn’t enough. You need to fill its gas tank, change its oil, inspect and potentially replace its air filters, and examine its body for any signs of corrosion. Here at D’Amico Electric, we can provide a thorough inspection of your generator, to ensure that it’s ready to weather even the worst winter storms.

D’Amico Electric Company

Since 1994, the D’Amico Electric Company has been offering electrical contracting services for industrial, commercial and residential buildings. From backup generator installation & ongoing maintenance to landscape/accent wiring and home theater systems, our experienced technicians are here to serve you. With our fleet of 10 trucks, we provide emergency electrical services 24 hours a day. Visit our website at damicoelectriccompany.com.

D’Amico Electric is licensed in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties, New York and all of Connecticut. Our founder is Anthony D’Amico, a licensed electrician since 1992, who is a member of the Westchester Licensed Electrical Contractors Association.

When you need electrical help, choose D’Amico. We bring safe & innovative electrical solutions to homes & businesses. For more information on how we can serve you, call D’Amico Electric today at (914) 241-6909.