When the temperature drops, it’s time for all homeowners to get ready for winter. Just because your home is closed up tight doesn’t mean you can neglect its upkeep until spring.
Try these steps to prepare your home for winter when there are only a few weeks left of Fall.
Clean the Gutters
Cleaning out your gutters is the perfect way to getting house ready for winter checklist. So why wait until Fall when you can do it right now? Gutters are meant to keep moisture away from your house by allowing water to flow and to go through them and into your downspout. Debris in your gutter prevents this water flow, which means it can’t do its job, which means water can penetrate your house. It’s that simple. Clean gutters are good for you and your roof. Gutters that are not clean can have a damaging effect on your entire roof. To ensure that your gutters remain clean for an extended period, it might compel you to hire a tree trimming company to do away with hanging branches that are hanging over your roof.
This might prevent you from seeking the help of a roofing contractor to have your damaged roof fixed. Before getting started, make sure you always use safe practices, like putting on gloves and safety glasses before cleaning them out with a gutter scoop or shop vac. Keep in mind that this activity can be carried out alongside other home improvement projects like land clearing and drain cleaning. Once the gutters are clean, call an expert to put them back up on your roof if needed. In the spring, you’ll be thankful you’re ready for winter and can prepare for warmer weather.
Seal Air Leaks
Winter is coming, and the sensible homeowner will be sealing air leaks around windows, doors, and ceilings to cut heating bills. Sealing these air leaks is a great way to getting house ready for winter checklist. The impact of air leakage on energy consumption in a building often far outweighs that from furnaces and water heaters. Air leakage is estimated to account for 25% or more of a structure’s total energy requirements. Seals around windows and doors let the cold in while the warm air escapes creating drafts and driving up heating bills. There are many products available to seal air leaks around windows and doors. Wooden, vinyl, aluminum, and other trim types can be sealed with caulk or adhesive foam. Metal window frames should be filled with spray foam insulation to prevent drafts. Most roofers happen to be conversant with the process of sealing air leaks. You could consider hiring one of them in case you need to fix air leaks in your home.
Cut Back on Drafts
Do you plan on getting house ready for winter checklist? The best thing that you can ever do is to cut back on drafts. If any drafts are coming out of your doors and windows, then soon enough, the weather will get in. Drafts are sneaky thieves of heat. They make their way into your home through tiny cracks and crevices. Once they do so, it can easily cause you to spend more on power bills than what is required to keep the house warm. That is why you need to cut back on drafts before it snows outside. You can either measure up the draft, or you can purchase a product that is meant for this specific purpose. If you cut back on drafts, your house will be warm and comfortable for everyone in it. And if you have any pets at home, they will enjoy staying indoors in a draft-free environment even more. Also, your kids will not be forced to wear extra layers of clothes, which will make them uncomfortable.
Moreover, cutting back on draft is a great way to keep unwanted visitors from entering your house without over-relying on a fencing company to have your fence fixed. So, what are you waiting for? Cut back on drafts today and reap the benefits of having a warm and draft-free environment entirely ready for the welcome winter!
Check Furnace Filters
It’s not the sort of house chore you look forward to, like pruning the shrubs or cleaning out the garage. But once you get around to it, checking your furnace filters is one of those simple tasks that can make a big difference in getting house ready for winter checklist. A dirty filter can make your furnace work harder. That means higher heating bills. A clean filter keeps heated air flowing freely through your home, so rooms are evenly heated, and it takes less energy to keep them comfortable. A little time spent on your furnace filters could save you money all winter long.
The number of filters you need to check depends on the type you have. The most common furnace filter is a disposable fiberglass panel that sits in a metal or plastic frame and snaps into place over your existing filter rack. These filters are usually located in the front grille of your furnace, with one on each side of the air intake opening. If you have more than two filters, it’s a good idea to check them all at least twice a year. Furnace filters also may be found in the return ductwork or near your air conditioning unit.
Close Off Rooms You Are Not Using
To succeed in getting house ready for winter checklist, it is always a great idea to block out rooms you will not be using. There are usually a lot of rooms in your house that you don’t use throughout the whole year. Some examples could be; the spare room, the guest bedroom, an office, or even a den. There will be less work for your furnace to do by closing these rooms off, so it won’t need to work as hard. This will also help you save energy costs, and your energy bill won’t be as expensive.
To close off a room, all that needs to be done is shut the doors leading into the rooms you will not be using. Also, you could put a block in front of the door to make it impossible to open up. Another alternative is to place a large bookcase or shelf in front of the door, so you can’t fit through it. By closing off these rooms that you are not using, your house will be more energy-efficient, and it will help cut down on wasted energy. So get started today by closing off some of these rooms that you will not be using any time soon!
Cover Outside Faucets
When winter comes, the outdoor water faucets typically need to be drained or winterized. This process prevents them from freezing and cracking during cold weather. A lot of people choose to cover the faucets because it’s cost-effective, convenient, and straightforward. If you decide that protecting your outside faucets is the best option for you, there are a few things to keep in mind throughout the process.
First of all, your faucets should be turned off during the process. You will want to disconnect any hoses that are attached to them for this step. You can either turn them on once they are covered, or you can leave them off altogether. If you decide to leave them off, make sure to cover your hose bibs with the same type of material. Any plumber will attest that water seeping through your insulation can cause serious damage that can be too costly to repair. There are different options for covering outside faucets. It is best to use a product that will completely insulate the area surrounding your faucet. A variety of materials can be used for this. You could use foam insulation or pipe insulation, depending on the situation.
Bring In the Potted Plants
It may be the beginning of Fall, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think ahead of what your house will look like as winter draws near. Besides plucking those dahlias from the garden and working on various aspects of landscaping, bringing in those potted plants is a great way of checking another item off of your getting house ready for winter checklist. The first step to bringing potted plants inside is to make sure they are healthy enough to survive without sunlight for a little while. When you get them indoors, water them sparingly during the change of seasons.
If you are planning on lighting a fire in your fireplace, make sure to move the potted plants away from the heat source. Moving the potted plants around your house helps bring a certain symmetry to the interior design, especially on those chilly winter nights when you have nothing better to do but snuggle up on the couch with a good book. An excellent place to start is by placing them on either side of a window where natural sunlight will be able to filter through. Then you can move them away from the windows as the temperature begins to drop and the days grow shorter.
Change Out Your Air Filter
The cold, dry air of winter has a way of creeping into every tiny crack and crevice in your house. If you’re not careful, that can lead to costly heating bills when the weather turns warm again next spring. One great way to keep that air from getting too dry and cold is by changing out your old air filter for a new one. It’s cheap, easy, and highly effective. There are many different kinds of filters on the market, and not all work well for this job. The best ones to use will be washable and reusable.
You might want to get a couple of them ahead of time, so you’ll have one ready when the other is being cleaned. Keep in mind that your heating system can only work as efficiently as its input allows. If air gets into the ducts and vents get dirty and dusty, there’s little chance it will be able to function at maximum efficiency. Keeping that air clear of obstructions is step number one in keeping your heating system running smoothly. Changing your air filter is relatively easy and one of the excellent ways of getting house ready for winter checklist. All you have to do is locate the old one, take it out, put a new one in its place, and then let your house breathe easily until winter rolls around again.
Check Smoke Detectors
The arrival of winter is something that many people look forward to, but the reality is that the season can bring some particular hazards. As such, one of the most important things you can do when getting house ready for winter checklist, is to check that all of your smoke detectors are working properly. After all, no one wants to be stuck in a nightmare scenario where there isn’t sufficient warning that something has gone wrong because the batteries were dead. And, while it might seem like a simple and easy task that anyone can accomplish on their own, the reality is that there are some technical aspects involved in smoke detector manufacturing and installation.
This means you should never use your judgment to try and get this done on your own. Instead, always contact a professional to come out and check each of your smoke detectors. While you may think that your home only has one or two of these devices, the reality is that many residences have seven or more. As such, this can quickly become a very expensive project if you try to take it on by yourself. So, instead, keep things simple and hire an expert to do all of the heavy lifting for you.
Repair Your Windows
It is well known that getting house ready for winter checklist is essential. When the colder months roll around, many people immediately think of ways to prepare their homes and themselves for the weather ahead. From new bedding and extra clothing to larger coats and sweaters, there are a number of things you can do to help warm up your home from the inside out. However, many people often overlook an essential aspect of getting ready for winter – your windows. Besides enhancing residential security, repairing your windows can equally help to improve the energy efficiency in your home during colder months. It is important to ensure that all of the windows in your house are properly sealed and insulated. And the best way to accomplish this is by hiring a professional window repair service who can get your windows in perfect working order for winter.
Hiring a professional for this job ensures that you will be able to breathe easily knowing your windows are properly prepared for winter. Even if you think your windows are acceptable, it is essential to get an expert opinion. A good window installation service should provide you with all the information you need about your windows and any upcoming problems you should be aware of. They will tell you about your options and make suggestions for future home improvement projects if needed.
Nothing is worse than getting into winter without getting house ready for winter checklist. Every homeowner must prioritize planning adequately for the winter season to avoid most of the challenges that define this season. The winter preparation tips mentioned in this article will be useful to any homeowner who applies them correctly.
