Let it snow

You dragged your winter coats out of the basement, and the scarves and gloves aren't far behind. You're ready for the cold of the Southeast Missouri winter months, but is your house?

With the mercury falling and freezing temps looming, your house needs a little TLC so you're not stuck nursing it back to health after a hard cold -- winter, that is.

Take one thing at a time to finish these seasonal tasks, or they can be knocked out in a day if you get the whole family involved. Put each person in charge of winterizing his or her own room.

Protect your pipes from cold weather by insulating them and blocking breezes that may be sneaking into the area.

Jeff Heise, with Stitz Plumbing in Cape Girardeau, advised putting heat tape around the pipes. The tape can be purchased at any hardware store and plugs into an electrical outlet to keep the pipes nice and warm.

Fiberglass insulation wrapped around the pipes or duct tape makes insulation. Heise said letting the pipes drip on a night when temperatures dip is a good idea.

Cold drafts from the outdoors leaking in can also cause pipes to freeze.

"Figure out what air is coming in and block that off," Heise said.

Water heaters can be in colder rooms like utility closets. For those, a water heater blanket is the best option.

Check windows and doors for air leaks that will let precious-bought air out or frigid cold air in.

Dip your finger in some water and run it along the weather stripping on windows or doors to feel for air, said Cameron Mitchell, with House Doctors Handyman Service. The water on your fingers will make the air more noticeable.

Cracks in the stripping or doors that don't shut tight are big clues you need to replace the weather stripping.

"It takes about one tube of caulk per window," said AmerenUE spokesman Tim Fox.

Installing storm windows and screen doors can also cut down on the amount of wind that enters the house.

Now that the wind has been stopped and the pipes are protected, it's time to get cozy. But grab a blanket to cuddle instead of kicking up the heat.

Experts recommend keeping it on 68 degrees. Fox estimated that for each degree lower your thermostat is set to, you save 2 to 3 percent off your electric bill.

"But you don't want to set your thermostat so low that you are uncomfortable," he said. Also, adding a space heater to that one room that just won't warm up is a better option than turning up the thermostat on the whole house, he said.

Nature can help with the heating bill as much as it can hurt it.

If you have a window that faces south, open the drapes and let the room bask in the warm sunlight.

"That natural solar energy will help heat the house," Fox said.

In rooms that have less light or often get hit by wind, drapes or blinds will help keep heat from escaping.

Mitchell said one of the most important things people can do before winter is remove the water hose from the faucet outside. He said the water inside the spigot will freeze, expand and burst the pipe.

"That causes a lot of problems," he said. "If they don't do that it can cause them a lot of grief in the spring."

Other things include changing the filter on the heater, making sure attic insulation is sufficient and keeping the house a little colder during the day while everyone is at work or school.

charris@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246