Winter is here, and like any other season, it requires home maintenance as preparation. Winter comes with harsh weather conditions that can cause your home more wear and tear than it should if you don’t prepare it well. Here’s a list of maintenance checks to do to prepare your home for the winter.
Have your heating and cooling appliances checked
See to it that your HVAC systems are ready for the season. If necessary, call a professional to check up on them. Clean or replace air filters and vents, reprogram your thermostat, and have a furnace tune-up.
Have your roof and gutters cleaned and checked
Proper gutter maintenance can reduce the chances of roof damage. Clean your gutters before the weather gets too cold. You can still clean them during the winter, but it’ll be more difficult to do so if you live in a snowy area. Check your roof for air leaks so that you can better insulate your home.
Stay on the lookout for pests
Contrary to popular belief, pests aren’t just a threat in the summer, during their peak season. In fact, the colder weather during the winter might just prompt them to seek shelter inside the warmth of people’s homes. So don’t give them that opportunity. Caulk any holes and cracks in the foundation of your home. Doing this will also help to insulate your home. Don’t rule out the possibility of calling pest control.
Insulate your home
Even if your heating appliances are in their best shape, they might still be costing you more than they should because your home is poorly insulated. Insulate your home well to keep the warmth inside for your household to enjoy. The best way to insulate your home is to insulate the attic. Lay down sheets of foam or fiberglass on the attic floor. This is called blanket-type insulation and it keeps the heat in floors below from escaping into the attic.
A lot of heat also escapes through doors and windows, so it’s best to have insulation for those too. The easiest fixes for doors are weatherstripping and laying down door snakes to cover up air leaks. You could also install storm windows and doors to protect your exterior doors and windows from harsh weather conditions. Storm installations can be removed and stored in the spring until the next winter.
Winterize your water supply
Turn off your external water supply and drain the pipes before the weather gets too cold. Frozen water pipes are more vulnerable to damage. Make sure to insulate your interior water pipes so that they don’t freeze over too.
Prepare for the winter weather
If you live in a snowy place then you should already have done this. Get all your winter essentials ready and make sure that they’re still working properly, including your generator, snow blowers, rakes, and shovels. Since it’s the season to start using antifreeze again, see to it that you keep your supply well away from the reach of pets and small children.
The substance contains ethylene glycol, which gives it the sweet taste and smell that is attractive to children and pets. But this is also the ingredient that can cause fatal kidney failure even in small doses.
Practice fire safety
With Christmas decorations, candles, holiday cooking, and fireplaces, the holiday season is the peak season for house fires. Make sure that you have smoke alarms installed in your home and that they’re working. You should be testing your smoke alarm once a month. Battery operated smoke detectors should be tested more often.
Make sure that your home is ready for what can sometimes be a harsh winter season. Do the necessary maintenance checks around the house to ensure that your home and your appliances remain in good shape throughout the season.
