Fall is a good time to take all the steps you need to winterize your home before the weather gets too cold. Take the following steps each winter to take care of your home and your home will take care of you.
1. Have your furnace inspected and cleaned. It’s easy to skip this part when your furnace seems to be operating well, but you really shouldn’t. Having it cleaned and serviced every year will extend the life of the furnace plus allow you to spot any potential problems before they get too serious. Bonus: If/when you decide to sell your home, providing paperwork that shows you had the furnace serviced every year makes your home that much more appealing.
2. Clean out the gutters on your roof. You may not even realize how clogged up they get after all those leaves and sticks and twigs have fallen off the trees. Clogged drains can freeze with backed up water which can seep into your house and cause serious damage. Also, make sure that your downspouts have adequate draining attachments that carry the water well away from your home’s foundation. Bonus: If/when you decide to sell your home a professional inspector will carefully examine your home’s foundation, drain spouts and roof. Better to take care of these things now and know that everything will check out okay rather than worrying about your sales contract falling through due to problems with the foundation.
3. Seal up any leaks. Check around doors and windows for leaks. Cold air can seep in and make you uncomfortable. Subtle leaks may not be so obvious so use a stick of lit incense to see which way the smoke is blowing. Install weather stripping along leaks in the doorway and rope caulking along leaks in the window. Don’t forget to place a rolled up towel along the bottom of the door to help prevent those leaks too. Bonus: Plugging up the leaks in your home will help cut down on your heating costs and make your home more comfortable.
4. Make sure your home and your car are prepared for winter emergencies. Store extra canned goods, water and non-perishable food in your home. A good rule of thumb is 3 days worth. Keep an emergency kit in your car as well that includes kitty litter or sand if you get stuck, an old coat and/or blanket, a small shovel, water, flashlight, mini-battery jumping kit, first aid kit, etc. Bonus: The ONE time that you need these things you will be eternally grateful that you had them.
5. Get some carbon monoxide detectors for your home. They’re inexpensive and all you do is plug them in the wall. Bonus: It could save your life.
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