Preparing Your Home for Winter
As autumn makes its exit and the temperatures continue to drop, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your home for winter. Below freezing temperatures, snow, sleet and all of winter’s temperamental weather patterns can test your home throughout this long and cold season. You need to make sure your home can handle the elements while keeping you warm and cozy, so don’t skimp on your preparations.
Grab a cup of hot chocolate to get in the spirit, and read more about the top home maintenance tasks that homeowners should be completing this winter.
Outdoor Home Maintenance in the Winter
Prepare your yard and house exterior for winter while the weather is still relatively mild. You’ll be glad you took care of these tasks before the first major snowfall!
- Rake up any remaining leaves to clear your yard. This prevents mold while keeping your grass healthy.
- Cut back dead branches on any trees around your home.
- Clean and store your gardening tools. If you haven’t already, make it easier to access winter tools like snow blowers and shovels.
- Finish storing any lawn decorations, outdoor furniture and other items that could be damaged.
- Shut down your sprinklers and have the system winterized by a professional to ensure that there isn’t any water trapped in your pipes.
- Remove all hoses from outside spigots, drain them and store them for the winter. You’ll also want to turn off the water connection at the spigots to prevent pipe breaks when it gets below freezing.
- Check your roof for missing shingles or other damage that could let melting snow or ice inside.
- Clearing frozen gutters isn’t easy — make sure they’re free of any debris and clean them if necessary.
- Take a walk around the foundation of your home and clear any debris that you find. If you notice any cracks, seal them to prevent pests from getting in.
- Cover your central air conditioning unit to protect it throughout winter.
- Stock up on salt and ice melt.
Indoor Home Maintenance in the Winter
Next, it’s time to focus on your home’s interior. Thankfully, prepping this portion of your home is a bit less time-intensive.
- If you haven’t recently, have your HVAC system inspected by a professional.
- Change the filters in your HVAC system and check your ductwork. Everything should be sealed at joints and intersections to prevent heated air from escaping.
- Add a layer of pipe insulation to exposed pipes to avoid freezing.
- If you haven’t cleaned your fireplace in the last two years be sure to clean the chimney thoroughly. This prevents dangerous fires.
- Unpack blankets, space heaters and other cold-weather things you’ll need to keep your family warm and comfortable.
- If you’ll be hosting holiday parties, it’s the perfect time to clean your carpets and take care of other cleaning-related tasks.
You’ll be happy you prepared your home for winter, but is your home also protected from the unexpected? Get a quote on an affordable Home Warranty Service Agreement now and ensure that your home’s systems and appliances are covered this winter.
