Tips To Prepare Your Home For Winter
It is time to start preparing for winter. Whether you love it or hate it, the cold months of winter are knocking on your door, and taking a few steps could help you manage your utility bills, maintain your home, and probably increase the value of the house. Let’s take a look at a few tips to get your home winter-ready without incurring a big expense.
Service the Furnace
It is a wise decision to invest in an annual service for the heating system in your home. This money will pay off in the long run. By investing around $100 to $300, you will have a technician inspect the boiler, furnace, and heat pump in the home and ensure that the system is operating well and in good condition.
This will allow it to achieve higher efficiency. By scheduling a service during the fall, you will be able to reduce the chances of delaying the repairs. If you wait until winter sets, you could be 100th in line for repairs.
Stop the Ice Dams
When the home has had lots of icicles in the previous winter, or even ice dams, they can cause a meltwater backup and this will flow into your home. You need to take the necessary steps to prevent the damage. Speak to a home energy auditor who will identify and fix the air leaks. They can also help identify insulation issues that could have led to an ice dam.
Check the Roof
One of the most important preventive methods is a roof inspection. You need to learn to use a ladder and if you are not comfortable with heights, do an inspection from the ground using binoculars. Check for loose, missing, or damaged shingles which could leak in a storm. The experts at King Roofing state, “Never overlook a worn rubber near the vent pipes or the mass of lichen and moss.
This is a sign that your roof needs maintenance and it is decaying.” If you have a flat roof or it is surfaced with pebbles and asphalt, you must blow off or rake the leaves and the pine needles that hold moisture.
If there is a lot of work to be done, speak to a handyman for repairs. They could charge about $100 to $300 for a few shingles and between $200 to $600 for a larger area.
Caulk the Doors and Windows
If you can caulk the doors and windows of the property, it will help protect the house from any unwanted air leaks and moisture. Whenever you notice drafts in the home or see that the energy bills are soaring, you need to take it as a sign that you will have to replace the caulk in the doors and windows.
You must do this every five to seven years. If you see that the gap between the siding and the door frame or the window is larger than the nickel’s width, reapply the exterior caulk. You must remember to check the window glazing putty as well.
Clean All the Gutters
The gutters in your home need to be cleaned twice each year, once in the fall and once in spring. Those with pine trees near the home will have to ensure that the needles are removed once in three months to avoid clogging and downspouts.
If you avoid gutter maintenance, it could lead to significant repairs in the long term. On the other hand, regular maintenance will ensure that the gutters last longer.
Many households have gutters filled with detritus and when water backs up against your house, it could lead to ice dams, damage the roof, and cause leaks. That said, gutters that are filled with debris become homes for pests. The cost of cleaning a gutter could range anywhere between $70 and $225.
Check the Exterior Faucets
To prevent burst pipes during winter, you need to take a good look at the faucets. If you leave the faucet unprotected, it will lead to water damage and flooding in the home. All the undrained water in your pipe will freeze and the pipe will burst once the ice expands.
Hence, remember to disconnect the hose and take off the splitters you have attached to the faucets. Now drain the water which remains in the faucet. Then find the shut-off valves in the home and drain the outside faucet. You need to allow all the excess water to flow out from the faucet.
After it drains, keep the handle on while you close things for the colder months. Ask the plumber to get a freeze-proof faucet for the home. It will make it easier to drain any water that enters the faucet and prevent the buildup that causes a pipe to burst.
Mulch Leaves
When you mulch the leaves back into the lawn, it gives a source of nutrients to improve the growth and health of the lawn. Do not rake the leaves, instead mow them.
You can do this by cutting the leaves when they are dry. Cut them into smaller pieces that will fall around the grass blades. Here they will decompose and help the lawn grow during winters. You can invest in a mulching blade or use your lawn mower without the bag.
These are a few tips to help you prepare your home for the winter months. None of these jobs can be done overnight and you will have to plan on completing them over a period of two to three months. Set aside weekends where you look into different areas of your home and handle the task. If needed, speak to professionals to help you with the same.
They will have the right tools and will make the job quicker. Trying to do everything at once can be overwhelming and you could end up doing very little. Instead, tackle the garden one weekend, check your roof another weekend, and then handle the faucets. This way, you can ensure that your home is well-maintained and ready for the chilly weather.
