Cold weather will be coming soon, and it’s never too soon to be thinking about home winterization. 

The elements around 9,000 feet elevation can make for intensified winter conditions that homes must withstand. Winterization efforts, and weatherization efforts in general, are meant to protect from this, but they have other advantages as well. 

Winterization can be done in a way that improves a home’s energy efficiency, which could lead to cheaper utility bills. Additionally, professionals in the realm say keeping on top of weatherization efforts can be critical to the health of a home’s occupants because it can mitigate carbon dioxide in a home. Colorado, and Summit County, are replete in home winterization resources residents can tap into, including the ability to receive financial assistance on related projects. 

The basics

Adam Boysen, the founder of Breckenridge-based Zuma Property Management, said property managers tend to begin thinking about winterization as summer comes to an end. He said a primary focus is on maintaining heat sources, a vital resource for winter in Summit County. This involves vetting the efficiency of heat sources like boiler systems and having them professionally serviced. 

Aside from ensuring heating systems operate as they should, it’s also important to ensure the heat is being maintained in the home, he said. This entails examining places where heat can escape, like cracks or openings on windows and doors. He said anywhere heat can get out ends up having a significant impact on heat loss in the home, which can impact relevant utility bills due to inefficiency. 

The other important utility to protect is water sources. Boysen said exposed water pipes can cause homeowners issues when it comes to having hot and running water in the winter. He said water pipes in attics, exterior walls and garages can be susceptible to freezing if not insulated. Heat tape is a tool to prevent frozen pipes and keep them functioning properly. 

He said while people might not realize it, pipes in garages are particularly vulnerable. He said garages attached to homes are often seen as protected spaces because people assume it’s retaining heat from the home, but they are actually very susceptible to dropping temperatures since doors are opened and closed to let vehicles in and out. He generally recommends choosing a system that monitors how long a garage door is open and one that will shut it after being open for three or more minutes. 

He said these self-monitoring systems, including leak-detection systems and thermostats that can be monitored remotely, have been particularly helpful for second-home owners who might not be in the vicinity of the property. 

Additionally, while it might not be a winterization effort, keeping snow from piling up too much on a roof can help avoid a handful of disasters like roof damage or snow sliding off a roof and harming something or someone.

Lastly, he said Summit County is no stranger to winter power outages. He recommends having things like flashlights and blankets in the home at all times. 

Resources for residents 

Summit County residents have a few different resources at their disposal for home weatherization. 

High Country Conversation Center offers a home energy assessment, which folds into home winterization efforts. Climate action manager Narelle Kipple said these assessments are free and help homeowners with energy efficiency, with the opportunity to get up to $5,000 in rebates on energy-efficient projects. 

Projects eligible for rebates include: air sealing, smart heat tape controls, heat pumps, insulation, programmable thermostats and more.

Kipple said the process with High Country Conversation Center starts with an inspection by a certified Building Performance Institute analyst. From there, they will recommend energy efficient upgrade projects to the home. 

Some who qualify can get home weatherization services for free through the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments, an organization meant to support 14 regional government associations in the state.

Winterization site supervisor Nate Speestra said the organization is a sub-grantee of the Colorado Energy Office, which gives them funds to provide services free of charge. 

Those who qualify for programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Need Families and Social Security Retirement Insurance may also qualify for the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments winterization program. Xcel Energy, Holy Cross Energy, Atmos Energy and Colorado Natural Gas customers making 80% of the area median income may also qualify. 

Speestra said the program covers a home audit and financial assistance with services like installing insulation, air sealing, storm windows and storm doors. People can also get funding for furnace repairs or replacement along with health and safety evaluations, and more.  

He said he has found the health and safety aspect to be critical because around half the homes that are checked have some sort of health and safety problem. 

“People are getting carbon monoxide poisoning every winter, and they think that they have a long-lasting flu, so we take care of all of those things before we start doing weatherization work,” he said. 

More information on High Country Conversation’s offering can be found at HighCountryConservation.org/home-energy-audits/. More information on the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments offering can be found at TinyURL.com/tfvh6mdt.