So here we are, vastly aware that summer waltzed right by with barely a passing glance.
And here we are, probably equally aware that soon winter cold, frigid, snowy, windy, bleak winter will be staring us down, getting ready to push us all indoors until next, oh, July.
But before you start eyeing your thermostat or breaking out the plastic to seal your windows, turning your home into an airtight bubble, here are a few things to consider:
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Think twice before putting up plastic.
Pete Corrigan, a sanitarian with the Monroe County Public Health Department, warns that plastic sheets especially when installed on windows from the inside can trap condensation and mold. If putting up plastic is one of your energy-saving and heating strategies, Corrigan says it's best to leave a few windows plastic-free to help vent the house.
Open a window, briefly.
During the summer when they can open their windows, people don't notice smells in their home as much, Corrigan says. As soon as a home is closed up for winter, smells from things like new paint, carpet or furniture become more noticeable, he says.
On any nice day in the winter, open the windows for a couple a minutes to let the air through so it doesn't stay stale, Corrigan advises. It costs a little more in energy, but there's a trade-off for air quality that will help. People feel better in fresh air.
Have your furnace inspected.
In the winter, gas appliances, such as your furnace as well as other sources of heat if not working properly could leak dangerous, odorless carbon monoxide into your closed-up home.
Dr. Bill Beckett, a University of Rochester School of Medicine professor of environmental medicine, says carbon monoxide is the most common cause of fatal poisoning in the country. (See sidebar for a list of symptoms.) For added peace of mind, buy a carbon monoxide detector, available at home-improvement stores.
Brighton resident Joe Cottone, 23, an employee of Michael R. Boccacino Heating and Cooling, advises changing your furnace filter once a season to ensure peak efficiency. And when you do, don't skimp. Higher-quality filters will filter out more impurities in the air, says Cottone.
Warm up your car outside.
If you have an attached garage, think a few times before warming up your car in it. Home heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems frequently draw air from the garage, and fumes from the car can enter the home.
Beware of radon.
Another gas, this one is natural, radioactive and present in soil and it can cause lung cancer. If the ground around your house is frozen, radon frequently has nowhere to go except into unfrozen basements. Because this gas is invisible, odorless and has no taste, special kits must be used to detect it.
To order a radon detection kit, call the New York State Health Department at (800) 458-1158. For more information on radon, go to:
