As we move into the winter season, people are bundling up with warm gloves, hot cocoa, and cuddling by the fire, but have you thought about how to prepare your home for the cold to come? Your home needs some TLC before winter comes around and below is a homeowner’s winter checklist to ensure your home is safe and sound all season long.
1. Check Your Pipes
Freezing temperatures can cause severe damage to your plumbing or irrigation system as the water could freeze, expand and burst the pipe. Be sure to drain your outdoor faucets, garden hoses, and sprinkler pipes when preparing your house for winter weather. Faucet covers can help keep any drips from freezing and they can be bought inexpensively at your local hardware store.
For how to prevent pipes from freezing, covering pipes that are prone to freezing with heat tape will keep them warm during the cold weather. Be sure to inform your family on how to turn the water off at the source in the unfortunate case a pipe does break.
2. Staying Warm And Cozy At Home
If your home has a fireplace, using your cozy feature is a great way to stay warm and save on your utility bill. Be sure to have your chimney inspected and cleaned by a professional before the frost sets in to prevent a fire in your chimney when preparing for the winter season. It’s also wise to have a professional check your heating systems on a regular basis. A vent cleaning can help your system be safer and more efficient in heating your home. Consider a thermostat that adjusts the temperature while you’re away to save money, too.
3. Winterizing Your Home Tools and Machines
Most people forget that some tools or machinery requires a winterizing to maintain their functionality. Be sure to drain any water out of tools or hoses in your garage, such as pressure washers or garden hoses. Consider winter wiper blades for your car for better visibility and safer driving.
Clean your gutters so melting snow can clear easily and plant debris won’t freeze to your gutters. Also check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, especially if using a fireplace. Additional winter home maintenance tips can be found here.
4. Preventing Cold Winter Air From Getting In Your Home
Any time a winter draft can enter your home, you’re left feeling chilly and your heating bill grows. Check for drafts this winter and consider weather stripping or storm doors to keep the heat in. Don’t forget your basement or garage doors as well. Inspect your windows and caulk or apply weather stripping to any gaps.
Replace worn doorstops and use caulking or weather-stripping to any pipes or ducts that travel through an exterior wall. Blocking and sealing all potential entry points for a chilly winter draft will help keep your home warm and your heating savings high.
5. Consider A Professional To Help You Prepare
A sure way to know your home is ready for the cold weather is to hire a professional home improvement contractor such as Don Sharp Home Improvements. We can check, fix, replace, and prepare all components of your home for a stress-free winter. We can offer winter preparation tips and help you with the execution. Checking certain aspects such as your roof or gutters that need an inspection before the start of the season is dangerous on your own.
A home contractor can find and fix any potential threat to the safety of your home during winter. Consider us for your roof, window, or gutter needs along with any general inspection or preparation. We’d be more than happy to help prepare your home for the coming winter. Give us a call today at (901) 335-4325.