Winter Home Maintenance Checklist
The winter months are well and truly underway, and that means that homeowners across the globe are looking for ways to “winterize” their homes. Regardless of your home’s location, and whether the winter sees your garden covered in snow or completely barren, winter preparation tips are always necessary. Despite this, you may need to adjust your winter preparation techniques depending on the conditions of your location.
This time of the year often comes with certain “inconveniences” such as colds and respiratory problems. Because of the dry winter air, low temperatures, and weather conditions, you may want to include an air purifier in your interior. This way, you will improve the air quality in your home and reduce the number of germs, contaminants, and toxins.
Since winter is already underway, ideally, this preparation should’ve begun a little while ago; however, it’s better late than never! You may have missed the boat to get ahead of the cold weather, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t catch up. Be sure to tick off the following from your winter home maintenance checklist:
Check the Roofing
From Leeds roofing services to NYC roofing contractors, our roofs are essential for our home’s protection, regardless of location. After all, it’s our roofs that sit atop our homes, blocking out even the harshest of elements – or so they’re supposed to. If our roofs aren’t in good condition, this will result in them being penetrated by rainwater and other elements. As a result, our homes are left in vulnerable positions, with our roofs being among the most important protective structures. Upon our roofs being compromised, it puts our homes at risk of damp problems and even threatens the structural integrity. Consequently, checking the roofing at this time of year is essential.
Switch Ceiling Fans
If your home has ceiling fans installed, a simple switch may be all that’s needed to contribute to your home’s comfort during winter. For instance, changing a ceiling fan’s direction to clockwise will result in the warmer air near the ceiling being pushed down into the room. As a result, you’ll be left feeling warmer without cranking up the temperature of your central heating. Not only is this more cost-effective, but it’s also better for the environment. Changing the direction of your ceiling fans results in benefits all around; a win-win scenario.
Seal Doors and Windows
During the summer, the seals around our windows and doors can crack from the warmer temperatures. As a result, cold air is allowed to enter our space, as well as water. Not only does this lead to a colder home in which we’ll be forced to pay more on our heating bills, but it also means that condensation will be allowed to settle on surfaces, which also results in mold growth. You’ll know if your doors or windows need resealing if you can feel a draft around them, even if they’re shut. It’s a good idea to get ahead of this before your home is plagued with mold.
Clear Gutters
Clearing the gutters is one of the most hated chores; however, it’s one of the most important when it comes to winterizing your home. In order to clear gutters, you’ll need to climb a ladder, remove the leaves, twigs, and other debris, and rinse the gutter with a hose. You should see all the water gush from the downspout, and if this is quite slow, it could indicate a blockage. In the instance that the downspout is draining slowly, you should detach it and clear it.
Check the Heating System
Last but not least, we need to check our heating systems in anticipation of the winter months, regardless of how our homes are heated. The likelihood is that we won’t have had to heat our homes throughout summer, meaning we have no idea about the status of the heating. On average, we should service our heating systems on a yearly basis to ensure everything is in order.
