Winter can take its toll, especially when your home’s not ready for the colder weather. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to prepare your home for winter, as long as you make a plan and start the preparations early. Here are some tips and tasks to add to your to-do list so you’ll rest easier when the temperature drops.
1. Get Your Home’s Heating System Inspected
Stay comfortable this winter by making sure your home’s heating and air conditioning system is in good working order. Before the cold weather hits, hire a professional to come and inspect the heating unit.
An HVAC technician will perform a check-up to make sure the heating is good to go when you need it. It’s much better to find problems with your heating system when the temperature is still mild than to discover the furnace won’t work on the coldest day of the year.
2. Clean the Gutters to Prepare Your Home for Winter
Cleaning the gutters is an important task to get your home ready for colder weather. If the gutters are clogged, rain may freeze in the channels. Combined with dirt and debris, this freezes into a mass of ice that can potentially damage your roof and guttering system.
Before winter hits, get a ladder and gloves and remove leaves, pine needles, and other debris so water will drain away from your home. Have a friend or family member spot you on the ladder to keep you safe while you clean.
You can also purchase tools, like a leaf blower extension or a wand that attaches to your pressure washer, that will help you clean the gutters from the ground. Or hire a company to take care of the job for you. A gutter-cleaning service has the proper tools and equipment to do the job quickly and safely.
3. Keeping Your Door Locks from Freezing
This is a common problem for people who live in cold climates, but it can happen anywhere when the temperature stays below freezing. You come back home after being away all day and find your door locks frozen.
To prevent this from happening, spray powdered-graphite lubricant into all of your door locks and then turn the key. The powder will lubricate the pins inside your door locks and prevent them from freezing in place.
4. Roof Inspection to Prepare Your Home for Winter
Your roof protects your home from the elements as long as it is properly maintained. Before it gets too cold, take time to inspect your roof and check for missing, loose, or broken shingles. These may lead to leaks during winter storms and create issues with water damage.
If you notice any missing or broken shingles, hire a professional roofing repair service to replace them before winter. They can also inspect for and repair damage to the flashing around your vent stacks and chimney.
Preparing your home for winter is important. These small tasks will make sure your home is ready to face cold weather. Hire a professional for jobs you cannot handle on your own so you’ll have peace of mind moving into the cooler months of the year.
Aarrow Home Inspections offers home inspections in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. If you’re buying or selling a home, contact us to request our services.