As you head into winter, and you worry about winterizing your home. You know that you should prepare your house for winter to save energy and keep your family warm, but you’re not sure how. Fortunately, football can teach you everything you need to know.
Keep reading to learn six football-inspired tips that get your home ready for the winter.
- Protect the Quarterback (Protect Your Pipes)
If the quarterback goes down, the play is over. And on top of that, a big hit on the quarterback can leave the leader of your team’s offense out of commission for the rest of the game. If you don’t protect the quarterback, your team will be in a lot of trouble.
In your home, it’s just as important to protect your pipes. If a pipe freezes, you’ll feel the consequences later when the pipe thaws and water starts flooding your home. Drain or insulate your outdoor piping, and then make sure to keep your house warm enough to protect any indoor piping.
- Create Space for Your Running Back (Clear Your Gutters)
You can’t simply hand off the ball to your running back and hope for the best. A successful running play relies on the rest of the team creating a hole for the running back to run through. Otherwise, players on both teams will simply clog the line and the running back will have nowhere to go.
As beautiful as fall leaves can be, if you let them clog your gutters, you’ll likely regret it later. Ice dams begin to form when water gets trapped by the piles of leaves in your gutter. The mess of leaves, mud, and ice keep your gutters from doing their job. With nowhere else to go, water might start to seep through your roof.
- No Holes in Your Defense (Seal All Leaks)
Any decent quarterback will pick your defense apart if you leave gaps in your coverage. Defenders need to be disciplined and stick to their man or their zone. If not, they’ll probably hand over a big play to the opposing team.
Cold air is better than any quarterback-if you leave any type of hole in your house’s defenses, cold air will always find it. Every air leak in your home will make your heating system work harder during the winter, and that additional energy use means more expensive utility bills.
Use caulking and weather stripping to plug simple gaps in doors, windows, and walls. You can place plastic gaskets behind outlet faceplates if you feel cool air coming from an electrical outlet. If you encounter a large hole or gap, you might need to call an HVAC professional for some extra help.
- Switch Up Your Coverages (Adjust Your Thermostat)
If you stick to the same type of coverage on every play, the opposing coaches will eventually catch on. The offense will punish you for your defense’s predictability. But if you utilize variable defensive patterns, you can keep the offensive players on their toes.
It’s easy to set your thermostat to one temperature and leave it that way, but using variable temperatures will save your family money. If everyone’s out of the house for the day, turn the thermostat down while you’re away. Contrary to what some people think, it costs your heating system less energy to heat the house back up than keep it hot all day.
Consider buying a programmable thermostat or even a smart thermostat to make the process easier. It can be a pain to always remember to adjust the thermostat before you leave the house, and an automated system helps counter that inconvenience.
- Run a Reverse (Reverse Your Ceiling Fans)
Every once in a while, it’s good to run a reverse. You’ll catch the defense off guard and might end up with a big play. At the very least, you’ll keep the defense guessing the next time you run the ball.
During the winter, it’s good to have your ceiling fan “run a reverse.” Your fan should have a reverse setting, usually a simple switch, that changes the flow of the air. Because hot air naturally rises to your ceiling, your fan will send the warm air from your ceiling back down toward the floor.
- Consult the Coach (Have Your Furnace Inspected)
No matter how hard-working or talented a player is, that player can benefit from the experience and perspective of a seasoned coach.
Have your furnace inspected by an experienced HVAC technician before you head into the coldest months of winter. Your furnace needs a regular tune-up to make sure it does its job during the winter. When your furnace breaks down in the middle of December, you’ve got a big problem on your hands. While the technician is there, he or she can give you extra tips on winterizing your home.
You need a good game plan to win a game of football, and you need a good game plan for your home to keep your family warm this winter. If you follow the steps above, your house should be ready for whatever winter brings. Contact an HVAC professional if you have any questions about your winterization game plan.
