5 Ways to Prepare Your Home For Winter
How do you prepare for winter? Buy a warmer wardrobe? Stock your kitchen with comfort food? As you start thinking about the chilly months ahead, don’t forget to prepare your home as well. Here are five steps to take to properly prepare your home for winter.
Prepare your heating system
A frigid winter night is a less-than-ideal time to find out your heating system doesn’t work properly or for it to stop working altogether. Before the cold temperatures set in, have your heating system checked by a professional; they’ll make sure it’s clean and everything works as it should. Regularly changing the furnace’s filters is another great way to keep your heating system operating efficiently. If you have chimneys, have them cleaned and inspected to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and house fires.
Seal drafty spaces
Heating your home in the winter can get expensive. Help keep the warm air in and cold air out by sealing spaces that may be letting air through. Installing weatherstripping around doors and windows, for example, and using door sweeps can help prevent drafts from entering your home. Be sure to also use caulk to fill in gaps in the windows and siding.
Inspect your roof and gutters
Before the snow and ice hit, make sure your roof is ready. Look for shingles that are damaged or missing and have them replaced in order to prevent leaks. Removing leaves and other debris from gutters and spouts is another great way to prevent damage from water and ice.
Prevent frozen pipes
Save yourself the trouble of dealing with frozen or burst pipes later by taking a few preventative steps now. Disconnect and put away garden hoses, drain outdoor faucets, and have your irrigation system blown out. Use foam sleeves to insulate pipes in unheated areas, like hot water pipes in a crawl space or unfinished basement, or any other pipes that have caused trouble in the past.
Make sure your home is insured
Even with proper winterization, your home is still susceptible to hazards like fire, theft, accidents on your property, and more. Home insurance covers hazards like these as well as personal liability, so unfortunate events won’t leave you paying for repairs and other expenses all out of pocket.
Winter will be here before you know it; make sure your home is prepared. Contact us to learn more about your options and request a quote.
