As the colder months approach, ensuring your home is winter-ready becomes critical in safeguarding against potential weather-related issues. Here are some things you can do to prepare your home for the colder months:
1. Remove garden hoses from outside faucets. This prevents pipe freezes and potential bursts inside the walls of your house. If your hoses have frost-proof newer-style hose bibs, ensure they shut off the water behind the wall. Otherwise, locate a secondary shut-off to drain water from the hoses.
2. Inspect and clean your gutters. This clears any debris, especially fallen leaves, which can cause blockages.
3. Mark your driveway. Do this to avoid snow covering important areas like sidewalks and garden beds.
4. Clean your dryer vent regularly. This can prevent lint buildup, reducing the risk of house fires and improving drying efficiency.
5. Service gas fireplaces. For efficient and safe operation, do this annually. If you have wood-fired fireplaces, consider chimney inspection to prevent chimney fires.
6. Annual inspections for your HVAC system and furnace. Ideally, you should schedule this in the summer when the AC is also in use. This may result in cost savings by combining services.
“These tips provide a basic guideline for winter preparation.”
7. Replace furnace filters regularly. Aim for every six months, especially before the heating season.
8. Adjust your HVAC system’s air return vents. Utilize the lower vents to draw in cold air.
9. Reverse ceiling fans. This will push warm air down along the walls during winter for improved heating efficiency.
10. Check and test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace the batteries if needed.
11. Test GFCI outlets in the kitchen and exterior of your home. Do this every 30 or 90 days by pressing the reset button to ensure they function properly.
These tips provide a basic guideline for winter preparation. If you need further assistance with your real estate concerns, feel free to call or email. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a warm winter in your home.