Winter puts a lot of pressure on our homes. Think about how you feel walking home in high-speed frigid cold winds or with snow pummeling down on you. Your house has to go through all that, except it doesn’t get to go inside and put on dry clothes and warm up as you do.
From the first flakes of snow in the fall to the last of the snow melting in spring, our homes are working overtime to keep us comfortable. It would be nice if we take a few hours in the fall to make sure our homes are in peak condition to take on the winter weather.
These tasks are essential to check off your do list. Follow them to make sure your house stays warm, cozy and dry all winter long.
Seal Windows and Doors
Your home won’t be warm and cozy for long if you don’t make sure any cracks and gaps are sealed. If your windows or doors have air leaks, soon enough, you’ll feel the chill linger no matter how high you pump the heat. As window manufacturers know, even the best quality window will be less effective if it’s combating a nearby leak.
Inspect the exterior of your home for gaps or cracks, primarily the windows and doors, but also around your foundation and around any outdoor faucets or outlets. Check any previous caulking or weatherstripping to make sure it’s intact.
Once you’ve identified any leaks, seal them up either with caulking or weatherstripping.
Have Your HVAC System Serviced
Scheduling a service appointment for your heating system annually in the fall is a fantastic habit to get into. Preventative maintenance goes a long way, and these appointments will leave your system running efficiently. Plus, the last thing you want is to find out your heating system needs repairing once temperatures plummet.
Inspect Your Roof
You should be cleaning your gutters each fall to make sure they’re free of leaves, branches and other debris and that the water that will drain from your roof in the form of rain and melting snow and ice will be able to drain unencumbered, preventing pooling.
While you’re up there, take a look at your roof and see if there are any broken or missing shingles. If you notice anything off, be sure to call in a roofer to address any issues before they escalate into a much bigger problem later on.
Trim the Trees
Look around your property for trees that have grown branches close to your home or electrical wires and trim them back. Doing this will prevent branches from falling on your home, with a risk of either causing structural damage or blocking gutters from draining water. Trees growing near electrical wires could end up causing damage and power outages, so trim those back as well.
Follow these tips to make sure your house is in order for wintertime. A little time and effort now will pay off in spades once the winter storms arrive.
