When cold weather arrives, homeowners are ready to turn up the heat in their house. However, getting the home ready for the chilly season is equally important. Here’s a fall and winter home care checklist every homeowner should follow.
- Servicing the Heating System — Before Setting up the heat, a technician must inspect the furnace and heat pump. This ensures the heating system operates in the recommended efficacy and that carbon dioxide leaks are prevented.
- Reversing the Ceiling Fans — Since heat rises, turning the ceiling fans in reverse can help heat the rooms. This might enable homeowners to turn the thermostat down by one or two levels and help save energy.
- Cleaning the Gutters — Doing this job frequently can help prevent water from leaking into the home, causing damage. When temperatures fall below freezing point, having clean gutters also helps prevent ice dams. Homeowners should also guarantee that gutters and downspouts aren’t damaged or worn.
- Diverting Water Away in the Home’s Foundation — While checking the downspouts, landowners must also make sure the downspouts redirect water at least one meter away from the base. If that’s not the case, it is best to add extensions into downspouts.
- Preventing Ice Dams — Ice dams on the roof are an indication that the attic is not properly insulated. The attic has to be cool to prevent snow on the roof from melting, which causes ice dams. The loft should also have sufficient venting.
- Inspecting the Roof — Homeowners should carefully fix missing, damaged, or loose shingles until it starts snowing to avoid leaks and water damage when the snow thaws. Here are more roof maintenance suggestions for the autumn.
- Sealing windows and Doors — Moisture and cold air can get inside walls through openings around windows, door frames, and where pipes enter the house. Therefore, the gaps which are larger than the diameter of a nickel should be caulked up.
- Turning off Exterior Faucets and Sprinklers — The water in outdoor pipes can freeze and cause the pipes to burst as the ice in them expands. To prevent that, garden hoses should be discharged and outside pipes should be drained. Additionally, exterior faucets can be replaced with freeze-proof taps.
- Draining the Sprinkler System — Buried irrigation lines can also freeze, leading to burst pipes and damage to sprinkler heads. To best drain the heating system, an irrigation technician ought to be hired to blow off the system pipes with compressed air.
- Mulching Leaves — Rather than raking the leaves on the lawn, they ought to be mulched. The resulting compost offers nourishment to the yard. Additionally, when stowing the mower for winter, a stabilizer should be added to the fuel tank to protect the engine — in the event, the tank still comprises a gas.
- Inspecting the Fireplace — To ensure the fireplace is in good repair during the cold season, the damper must open and shut properly. The flue must be free of obstructions and the firebox should be undamaged and intact.
During the cold months, it’s also very important to be conscious of heating security concerns. Below are our home heating safety tips and electric heater security rules. The PuroClean team stands ready to give professional property restoration services to any property affected by fire, water, or mold damage.
Inform us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn to Receive our alarms!
