Running your home AC during the winter

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“It’s Hot in Here”

So the cold weather is here… kinda.  Even though we have officially entered winter, there are plenty of winter days here in Oklahoma that will tempt us to turn on the air conditioner.  If it is sunny and 60 outside, chances are it’s heating up well over 75 in your home and that can lead to us feeling a little stuffy.   Add to that some holiday cooking, and we can see that thermostat moving quickly to the 80s.  What to do?

Times Have Changed

Well, back in the day, I know it might be hard to believe, but we would actually open the windows.  That’s right kids!  We opened the windows.  I know that sounds snarky but I really think people have forgotten about this option, much to the enjoyment of your neighborhood HVAC professional.  Also, today’s homes are not really designed for this.  In the early 20th century, homes were built with lots of windows and often had a “whole-house fan” that people would run, with the windows open, to keep everyone reasonably cool.  I’m always happy to tell buyers about this feature when we come across a functional unit.

So, even though we don’t have as many windows, I’m recommending using them next time your home gets stuffy this winter; for the following reasons:

  1. Compressors are designed to run in hot weather.  They are lubricated with summer grade oil.  When you start your AC in the winter you are putting a terrible strain on the compressor and likely shortening its life.  I know you don’t want to buy another AC unit this spring.
  2. Windows left shut and not operated year after year, lose their lubrication, and when I open them at inspections, the springs often do not operate.  The next time you sell a home, you are probably going to be asked to fix that.  Using them frequently will keep them functional or at least remind you to lubricate them occasionally.
  3. Using your windows instead of your AC saves you money — immediately.  Open a couple of windows, and turn your fan to “on” at the thermostat.  It will circulate the stale air, introduce new fresh air, and cool down your home.  It will take a little longer, but you avoid risk of damage to the compressor.  Also, it is a lot cheaper to run a fan than a compressorHome Run Inspections, LLCOklahoma:  405-905-9175Florida:  850-203-3239

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Avoid Frozen Water Lines

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Water as the Enemy

As a home inspector, we often say that “water” is your home’s worst enemy.  Generally we are speaking about the weather shield that includes your roof, walls and windows.  But, water let loose in your home from plumbing can be just as devastating.  Unprotected pipes are susceptible to cold temperatures because water expands when it goes from liquid to solid.  If you have not taken time already, take a few minutes this weekend, before the next cold blast comes through, to go around your home and make sure that you are taking the necessary precautions to avoid a water damage bill. Here are some tips to get your plumbing through the winter in one piece.

Tips

  • Make sure any exposed water pipes are properly insulated.  Insulation alone does not prevent freezing but only slows it down.  Outdoor back flow preventer valves for sprinkler systems should be drained of water and have a plugged in heat tape installed.
  • Water hoses should be disconnected from hose bibs (and stored indoors if possible).  If the hose bibs are not freeze resistant, install an inexpensive foam cap from a hardware store.  I’ve even seen socks wrapped around the bib, tied with a rubber band and covered with a coffee can (don’t laugh; it works!).
  • Locate the main water shut-off valve, usually by the street.  Obtain the proper tool to open the valve vault and turn off the water if you need to in case of an emergency. There is often an interior water shut off valve that may be easier to access.  This information should be in your home inspection report if you have one from Home Run Inspections.

Other Good Ideas

  • Garage doors should be kept closed, especially if there are water supply lines in the garage.  This is often where your hot water tank is located.  You may want to safely place a space heater in the garage on really cold nights.  Remember that your garage ceiling is generally not insulated.
  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
  • When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.  Dripping a faucet in the spare bathroom bathtub and the kitchen faucet should do the trick.
  • Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature day and night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
  • If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° FHome Run Inspections, LLCOklahoma:  405-905-9175

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    Also Now Serving the Florida Panhandle metro areas including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Shalimar, Freeport, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Panama City Beach, and more.

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Fireplace Safety

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The Fireplace

I inspect a lot of homes with some sort of fireplace.  So many fireplaces today are merely decorative and can be started with a flip of a switch, but there are many homes purchased by “first time home owners” that have masonry fireplaces designed to burn “solid fuel”, meaning wood logs or fire logs.  Fireplace safety should be job one before starting and managing a real wood fire. Since this seems to be a fading art, so I put together a quick list of tips for those home owners out there who are planning on starting up the fireplace this year.

Safety Tips

  • Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
  • Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, damp wood accelerates creosote buildup. In pellet stoves, burn only dry, seasoned wood pellets.
  • Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
  • Never burn cardboard boxes, trash, or other debris in your fireplace or wood stove.
  • When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
  • Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
  • Allow ashes to cool before disposing of them. Place ashes in a tightly covered metal container, and keep the ash container at least 10 feet away from your home and any other nearby buildings. Never empty the ash directly into a trashcan. Douse and saturate the ashes with water.

As a home inspector, I always advise buyers to have there fireplace inspected by a professional before the first use of the season.  It only takes a minute for a romantic evening to turn into a three alarm disaster.

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Florida:  850-203-3239

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Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

Also Now Serving the Florida Panhandle metro areas including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Shalimar, Freeport, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Panama City Beach, and more.

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Watering Your Homes Foundation

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Earthquakes are not the only source of cracks in your home. They are just the latest threat to your homes foundation.  This winter has been pretty dry, so I’ve been out watering around my foundation on a regular basis to stay ahead of the coming spring and summer heat.  If foundation concerns are not addressed BEFORE they start, it can cost 10’s of thousands of dollars to repair them.  To protect your foundation, you must water your foundation.  Even though most sprinkler systems will help, most were designed to spray water away from the house.  To complicate it further, many cities are enforcing landscape watering restrictions.  Probably the most important factor associated with watering foundations is to do it 12 months a year.  It is very import to maintain a constant moisture content to retain soil  consistency.  Even if you only have minor issues (sticking doors, squeaky floors), managing the porosity of soil will even out the issues for a more stable foundation.

How to Water a Foundation:  There are several methods.

  1. Hand Watering:  I don’t recommend this method, but it can work. It can be difficult to consistently apply the same amount of water around the entire foundation with a systematic approach.
  2. Soaker Hoses:  By far the most popular,  “soaker hoses” are easily attached to a water outlet and draped around the foundation of the house.  These come in 25 and 50 foot length and can be connected in a series.  Try to place them within about 6 inches of the foundation.  (TIP:  Keep bare landscaped areas covered with mulch.  This too will assist in retaining the moisture content around the structure.  Covering the soaker hose with the mulch is acceptable.  You will need to inspect these regularly as I have found they deteriorate fairly quickly (less than 3-5 years).   Additionally, neighboring visitors (rats, mice, raccoons and such) have found a liking to chew on hoses, in turn puncturing them  and causing excessive water to come out in one place.  Once broken, I have not seen a good way to repair them, so you will have to replace the hose.
  3.  Drip Lines:  These hoses are designed with drip emitters in the hose every 12 inches.  You can deploy them in the same method as mentioned for the soaker hoses, but the hose material is a bit more stiff.  Staking them will help as they do not like to lay flat to the ground.  You can purchase the hose in bulk from the Orange Box store of Sprinkler Warehouse.  You will need to also purchase inter-hose connectors as well as a way to connect to your water source.
  4. Regardless of the method of disbursement, doing it consistently is just as important as the watering itself.Take a look at Watering Your Foundation to see a semi-permanent installation guide to foundation watering.

Source of above material:  HomeownerBOB.com

 

 

Home Run Inspections, LLC

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Florida:  850-203-3239

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Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

Also Now Serving the Florida Panhandle metro areas including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Shalimar, Freeport, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Panama City Beach, and more.

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Should you cover your A/C unit for the Winter?

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People tend to have firm opinions about whether or not they should cover their air conditioner for winter, so here’s the skinny on both sides:

Benefits of Covering:

  • Protects your condenser from the elements
  • Provides cover from ice, debris, snow, etc.
  • Prevents your AC from getting “weather-beaten”

Benefits of Not Covering:

  • Deters animals from seeing your AC as a cozy, protected home for the winter
  • Prevents moisture from collecting inside your unit
  • Allows for ventilation

So how can you get the benefits of covering your air conditioner without dealing with the all of the potential consequences? One of the easiest ways you can do this is by just covering the top of your unit. Ideally, you want to prevent damage from above while also allowing for ventilation. You can either use a piece of plywood to protect the top of your unit from falling ice as well as snow accumulation, or you can duct tape a garbage bag around just the top of your system to allow ventilation from the sides as well as cover from the top.  From Arcticac.com

Remember, if you decide to cover your unit, you should make a reminder to yourself to remove the cover in the spring.  You will likely damage your condenser unit if you run the A/C with the cover still in place, obviously costing you far more than any savings reaped from the cover. You may remove power from the outdoor unit as a safety (at the home service panel, if marked, or at the unit disconnect).

Based on the information here and my personal experience, I recommend that you just leave it uncovered

Home Run Inspections, LLC

Oklahoma:  405-905-9175

Florida:  850-203-3239

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We Cover All the Bases!

Serving the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas including Edmond, Yukon, Piedmont, Bethany, El Reno, Tuttle, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Choctaw, McCloud, Shawnee, Harrah, Newalla, Jones, and more.

Also Now Serving the Florida Panhandle metro areas including Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville, Shalimar, Freeport, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Panama City Beach, and more.

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