Raising the Standard Episode 44

We hate to say it, but winter weather is definitely coming. You may have already put your winter coat on last week! With that said, if you haven’t already, it’s time to make sure your home is ready for winter.  So take a listen to this episode of Raising the Standard with BOSS owner Jeff Street and WSJM’s Spencer Rivers to discover these tips to winter prep your home before the snow flies.

Disconnect Your Garden Hose

This is such a simple task to avoid a big mess.  If you don’t disconnect your garden hose it has the potential to freeze your faucet and pipes in your home.  If pipes freeze, they thaw when its warmer. Once they thaw, the water expands the pipe causing them to break, resulting in water damage. You can leave your hose outside, but all you need to do is unhook it from the house and drain the water out of the hose.  The garden hose manufacturers recommend you store your hoses in a coil laid flat. So you can easily store your hose in the garage in the winter.

Change Your Furnace Filter

Before you start running your furnace 100% of the time, you should definitely check your air filter and change them every 1-2 months to make sure your air filter is clean. If it is dirty, your furnace is having to work harder to circulate warm air throughout your home in the winter, which results in a higher energy bill.  

If you haven’t already, check out our blog from last week talking about ways you can save money on energy bills this winter. Energy costs have already doubled in Michigan in 2021 according to Michigan Gas Utilities and are only expected to rise.  So this blog has a lot of good information to save money on energy costs in your home: https://thebossservices.com/save-money-on-michigan-energy-costs-this-winter/

Have a Professional HVAC Technician Perform a Furnace Check-Up

Another tip to winter prep your home: Have a professional HVAC tech perform a thorough furnace check-up every year.  If you haven’t had a check-up already, make sure to get on the schedule with your HVAC company before you start running your furnace more and before the cold weather hits.  This can prevent unexpected breakdowns, which can make your home uncomfortably cold in super chilly weather.

Look into a Furnace Replacement Now If You Think You Need One

We ordered 110 furnaces a couple of months ago before prices are expected to rise even more in 2022.  This way, we don’t have to call our suppliers every time we need another furnace.  We have plenty of furnaces ready to install when our customers need them so they don’t have to wait for a furnace to come in if you don’t have heat.  Whether you live in St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, or Grand Rapids, we perform free consultations for those who think they may need a new furnace before Michigan winter weather hits hard.

We have propane furnaces, geothermal systems, and Mitsubishi ductless mini split systems available. If you’re looking to save energy this winter, electric Mitsubishi ductless mini-splits are one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool your home. They allow you to zone your home, where you can set different rooms to different temperatures. If you’re not using a room, you can turn the thermostat down in that room. Moreover, do you have a room that has the tendency to be warmer or colder than other rooms? With mini splits, you can adjust the temperature in those rooms accordingly rather than having one uniform temperature throughout the whole home.

If you would like to save up to 50% on your energy costs this winter, Indiana Michigan Power is currently running a rebate until November 14th. You can receive $1,425 off a ductless heat pump: https://electricideas.com/at-home/rebates/

Wrapping it up…

Have any questions about winter prep for your home? You can call us directly at 269-468-6682 or contact us right here on the website for anything. If you need a furnace check-up or want a free consultation about getting a new furnace before winter weather comes our way, we are happy to help!  We serve Benton Harbor/St. Joseph to Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, and are happy to come out to your home to help you ready for winter.

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