Winter is on its way, and you've got to get your home ready for it. If you fail to do so, you'll be unnecessarily cold, and you'll be paying more for heating. The following are a few ideas to help prepare your home for the upcoming winter months.
Sealing
An
important step to take before the winter hits happen to be an easy one. You
want to go around your home, looking for cracks or holes. These develop over
time, or sometimes, they happen due to some mishap. The problem is that these
create drafts, which makes your place colder than it needs to be. Repair or
seal these cracks or holes.
A crawl space inspection involves examining the area beneath your house to ensure it is properly insulated and free from any moisture or pest issues. By identifying and addressing potential problems in the crawl space, you can prevent heat loss, minimize the risk of frozen pipes, and enhance the overall energy efficiency of your home.
Heating
The next
thing you want to do is take care of your heating system. The last thing you
want is to deal with a faulty heating system in the middle of the winter. It
could take a while before anyone can come, and repairs could be costly. It's
important to perform heating maintenance before the winter.
Maintenance can also reveal if you need to replace the heating system, which is
a big job and one you want to do now.
Roofing
It's
important to pay attention to your roof before the winter hits. Most of the
heat a home loses goes through the roof. If there are any issues, then heat
loss will be the worst, and that's the last thing you want. On top of that, if
the winter brings rain or anything else, there's a higher chance of leaks and
water damage. Fix the roof now rather than later.
Insulation
Insulation
helps retain heat and maintain your home's overall coziness. This will no
longer be the case if your insulation is not good. Make sure you have enough
time to have a professional come and inspect it. If it needs to be redone, it's
better to do it now rather than later. Good insulation can make your heater work
less, and that means lower bills.
Skirting
Those with risen homes need to consider skirting. When those winter months hit, so do freezing winds. These winds are going to make it into your home easily if you haven't skirted your home. Doing this isn't that complicated or time-consuming, yet it can do wonders for your home and your ability to keep warm. Do this as soon as you can.
Pipes
Winters
can do a lot of damage to your water pipes if you don't prepare beforehand. The
temperature can drop dramatically and cause your water pipes to freeze. This
could cause all sorts of issues, from no running water to burst pipes. If your
pipes burst, you may deal with water damage, and who knows what else. Have your pipes insulated or winterized as soon as
possible.
Gutters
Gutters
have to be cleaned before the winter. Repairs that need to get done should get
done as soon as possible. You don't want water pooling on your roof should
there be a clog. You may also want to add downpour extenders if you need them.
These will help prevent water from accumulating near your foundation. All that
freezing and thawing could damage your foundation.
Detectors
Winter is
the time when everyone fires up the furnace or fireplace. Everyone is trying to
stay warm, and with that in mind, you should consider testing all your
detectors. Your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors may need to get replaced,
or they may need new batteries. It's time to make sure they are doing their job
to keep you and your family safe during the winter months.
Tools
You need to start the devices and tools you use during the winter to make sure everything is working well. A snow removal machine is by far the most important one, but whatever else you use during the winter around the house needs to be inspected and repaired if needed. You don't want to find out the tool is not working in the middle of winter. Be sure to check that generator, too.
As you can see, there's a lot you need to do to prep your home for the winter. While all this may seem time-consuming, doing this is wise and could save you a ton of grief.
0 Comments