Tips That'll Help You Get Your House Ready for a Brutal Winter ...
By Eliza • 2 Comments
By Eliza • 2 Comments
The winter is upon us! It has even snowed a couple of times where I live. How about in your neck of the woods? When winter comes, it pays to get your house ready. This serves a couple of purposes. It protects your home from cold weather damage, it helps control your energy costs and ensures that you stay safe in your home when the temps drop. Do these things today to make sure you are ready for winter this year.
You rely on your heater to keep you warm and cozy during the winter, right? So you should give it some love so it keeps on humming for you. Change the furnace filter and make sure the entire unit is clean and ready to go. Consider hiring a tech to check the internal parts of the heater so you aren’t stuck waiting for someone to fix it, should the heater give out on you. In addition, experts at Romeo's Fuel recommended planning your heating oil delivery in advance to keep your heater running seamlessly. This approach will help you reduce the hassle of inconvenient situations.
This might not sound like a huge problem because it’s the attic. However, drafts or holes in the insulation in your attic can lead to ice dams. This occurs when moisture freezes into solid chunks. This can lead to all sorts of structural and damage issues throughout your house. Call a professional if you need help.
This is something you can do pretty easily. Go up on the roof and scan it for missing or broken shingles. Have them repaired as soon as possible to prevent leaks when the snow comes. If you have a chimney, check to be sure the sealant around it is in good shape. If not, have it redone right away.
Some of the heat in your house will escape through the tiny cracks around your doors and windows. Use caulk to seal them all and you can keep the heat in and the cold outside. This is something you can do yourself so you won’t have to worry about calling someone to do it for you.
Fall is over now and that means that the leaves have all fallen off the trees. Maybe you’ve already raked them out of your yard, but have you checked your gutters? Get up there and clear out the leaves and debris to prevent water buildup when a winter storm comes. This helps prevent damage to your home so it’s pretty important.
You definitely don’t want the outdoor water pipes to freeze. That can cause a break that will affect your entire house. If a pipe bursts, you will have major damage, water to clean up and the possibility that you’ll have to fork over a ton of money to have things repaired. Check all of your yard faucets and make sure they are all turned off completely.
Call a pro and have them clean out your chimney. This allows you to have a fire in the winter without having to worry about a fire or smoke filling your house. Unless you know how to do this, have it done professionally or it may not work out the way you think.
What other things do you do to get your home ready for winter?