Prepping your home for winter involves more than showcasing holiday decorations. You must protect your space all season long. For help, here are some things homeowners should do before winter.
1) Assess Your Heating System
Don’t wait until winter to test your heating system. Test it now! Make sure everything runs smoothly. Additionally, schedule a maintenance check-up for the HVAC system. A professional will clean filters to ensure that heat properly blows through the vents.
2) Insulate Unheated Areas
You can prevent your pipes from freezing in the winter by insulating unheated areas in your home? Cold areas like basements and crawl spaces are places where pipes may freeze and burst. You don’t want frozen pipes because they affect access to water. Imagine turning on the sink and water doesn’t come out. That’s an issue you never want, especially during the wintertime.
3) Do Outdoor Prep Work
Your home’s exterior is just as important as the interior. Before chilly weather and snow settles, you should do outdoor prep for the season. Here are some things to do:
- Clean your gutters. Frozen leaves and debris create ice dams that will damage your gutters.
- Bring your flower pots inside. Cold weather causes pots to expand and crack.
- Drain garden hoses. Leftover water will freeze and make the hose split.
- Store outdoor furniture or place plastic covers on top of them.
- Clean your yard. Trim branches and get rid of yard debris.
4) Weatherproof Doors and Windows
Cold weather belongs in one place, outside. Prevent drafts by weatherproofing your windows and doors. Caulk holes and use weatherstrips to avoid cold air entering the home. Don’t worry about winter chills when your home is nice and toasty. For a bonus tip, set your ceiling fan to turn clockwise. This pushes warm air down from the ceiling toward the floor.
5) Get a Fireplace Inspection
What’s better than curling up next to a warm fire on a cold winter day? Nothing compares to this wonderful experience. Before you gather wood and prep the unit, check the fireplace! For fireplace owners, getting an inspection is another thing homeowners should do before winter. Clogged chimneys can cause house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Getting an inspection and chimney sweep is worth the money. You don’t want to risk your family’s well-being!
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