~ This is featured post. ~
As winter is fast approaching, it’s up to every homeowner to organize their home ready for the colder months. This might mean getting someone to service the heating system, dealing with last-minute gardening or just putting things away neatly. When these items are taken care of, getting through winter becomes much easier. However, if you don’t get these jobs tended to, you’re looking at an expensive repair or quick fix until the spring comes around and it’s easier to resolve.
Here are a few tips for how to get your home winterized.
Furnace Repairs
The furnace keeps you warm in winter, but it might have barely
been used in the last few months if you live in an area that has milder
weather. It’s a good idea to get your furnace checked out each year before
using it for a sustained period. When a furnace has a problem, it could completely
shut-down at the worst possible time. A dangerous burner leak or carbon
monoxide leak at a low level inside your home might provide deadly. Getting your
furnace checked using this service provides peace of mind.
Usually, a technician will check the
air filters, verify that the thermostat is making the correct readings and perform
a check on the gas and carbon monoxide to ensure there’s no accidental leakage.
Piping that runs to the furnace might get looked at as well, along with the fan
and motor, which are integral to its operation too.
It’s well worth making the
investment to maintain your furnace, not just for safety but also due to the
cost of replacing one should it go wrong. Just like any appliance, a little TLC
goes a long way to helping it enjoy a
longer life and reduces the total ownership cost of the operational period too.
Be a Tree Inspector
Look around your property to see
whether there are trees with branches overhanging. The branches might run over
your driveway, the roof or be near the windows on the uppermost floor. Bear in
mind that during winter, rain on the branches can accumulate, freeze, and turn
to ice. This can add enough weight to the branch to cause it to dip or fall
down completely. That branch that hangs near a house window with the aid of
water, freezing temperatures and wind turns into the one that might come right
through the window!
Set about trimming back the branches
that are dangerously close to the property. Use a cautious outlook about how much
they could move during a storm. If you’re planning to do the work yourself, use a ladder safely as many accidents lead to people
falling off them. If you’re not so sure about the task, get a tree surgeon to
trim them back. If it’s only one branch, it won’t cost the earth if they’re a
local or operating within the state.
Window Treatments
Check all the windows to see whether
there are heat loss problems with gaps in
the moldings or trim around the window. Perhaps the window sill is cracked and
it’s a direct line in through the wall? Move your hand around the edge to check
for any breeze. If you find any, using a weatherproofing strip to seal it.
You can also use a plastic sheeting
to seal off each window, one at a time. This will prevent the window from being opened during the winter. Ensure
they are all closed and their locking
mechanisms fully in place first. Usually, the plastic see-through window sheets
have adhesive to go around the edges of the window and fixes in place using a
hairdryer to create a strong seal. This creates a secure vacuum that helps to keep the warm air inside and the cold
air outside.
Gutter Cleanup
The gutters can cause a major issue
in most homes when water starts freezing on the ground. Gutters tend to get
blocked up with fallen leaves, twigs, and other debris until rainwater runoff
cannot flow along the planned path to the drainage point. This causes water to
overflow the gutters with random gushes of water or free-flowing streams when it’s raining.
The water on the ground can quickly
freeze if it becomes still for too long because there’s no planned drainage in
the spot where it’s hitting the ground. The area will turn into a sheet of ice
that’s incredibly dangerous to walk on. This can happen at the front, back or
side of the home and cause problems getting in and out of the property.
Make a point of cleaning all the
gutters out. Check whether the water can flow freely
and that it’s following the right path and disappearing down the drain. Look
for collected puddles of waters and push them into the drainage system.
Wrapping Heat Pipes
Considerable heat is lost from pipes
that are bare. When they’re wrapped up using foam designed expressly for pipes
and secured with duct tape, it will avoid heat being lost along the heating
system. When the pipes manage the heat well, the thermostat can be dropped a
few degrees to balance out the average temperature when it reaches the hot water
tap or shower unit. This will save you money every winter time. Buying the
right foam from a DIY store and fitting it yourself is a weekend job only.
It’s not that difficult to prepare
your home for winter. There’s still plenty of things to do though. For
instance, if you have a deck, then this must be prepared for winter in a
special way depending on the type of decking materials that it’s made from.
Gardens can certainly do with some general tidying up, putting away gardening
tools that might get hidden beneath snow and only being re-discovered when
stepping on them. The whole property is certainly worthy of a once over to see
what you can spot that’s been affected by the passage of time. You can then
determine what issues need resolving now
vs items for next year’s to-do list.
