Is Your Home Ready for Winter?
CAM WARD
It's certainly a busy time of year - shopping for the perfect gift for loved ones, decorating, holiday festivities, and gatherings! Getting your home ready for winter may not be top of mind, but making sure your home is "winter-ready" now can save you both time and money.
Below is a short winter home maintenance checklist. Remember to consult a professional when needed!
Have a contractor check your roof to see if it would sustain the weight of heavy snowfall
Repair roof leaks and check the exterior for gaps or holes
Look up your chimney for any blockages
If you use your fireplace, have it cleaned by a chimney sweep
Have the insulation in your attic and crawlspace inspected
Get your furnace serviced
Have your trees trimmed and the dead tree limbs removed
Direct any drainage away from your home
Clean out your gutters
Inspect any outdoor lighting to help prevent falls on ice-covered walkways
Disconnect and remove garden hoses from their faucets
Drain and turn off your sprinkler system
Locate your snow shovels and/or snow blower and purchase salt, sand, or ice melt. And once the snow arrives, keep walkways and paths shoveled
Insulate the pipes in areas of your home that are not heated
Caulk and weather-strip your doors and windows
Check the batteries in all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Place doormats both inside and outside of your doors and boot trays inside your entryway
Remove any furniture that is blocking heating vents
Clean out your dryer venting
Test your sump pump
Clean and protect your air conditioner
Protect any patio furniture by moving it to a shed or covering it with a heavy tarp
Bring in clay and porcelain planters that can crack during cold weather
