5 Ways to Protect Your Home This Winter
Do Not Forget to Maintain Your Lawn Mower
Do not forget to maintain your lawn mower before putting it in for the winter. Because we mow our lawns like crazy during the summer, our lawn mowers need some end-of-season maintenance. Maintaining your mower will help ensure it’s ready to go next season. But, if you neglect this, you might have startup issues next season and/or see lesser performance. Some of the maintenance include changing the mower’s spark plug, changing the oil, replacing the air filter, and checking for broken or worn parts like the belt cover, belts, discharge chute, bag, mulch plug, and tires. And don’t forget to remove, sharpen, or replace the mower blade.
Weatherproofing Your Windows
Weatherproofing your windows is a great way to save on heating. If you’ve never done this, you are quite literally throwing money out of the window. Windows often develop an air gap over time. This can cause around 40% energy loss for heating and cooling. Caulking the gap can end up making a big difference in your bills and comfort.
Chop Dead Branches
During a winter storm, trees can definitely be your home’s worst enemy. You can prepare for any snowstorm by removing visible debris from trees. This could cause damage to your home’s exterior or vehicles. Dead or low-hanging branches are a good example. Stress from winter can bring branches tumbling down, and bring down power lines with them, which could leave your home disconnected from emergency services. Basically, the more prepared you are, the easier it will be to get your family and home through winter unscathed.
Reverse Ceiling Fans to Stay Warm
Do you like to keep your ceiling fans running year-round? If you do, make sure they’re spinning in the right direction. Hot air always rises, and ceiling fans are designed to direct airflow where you need it most. When you flip your fan’s switch to reverse, the fan moves in a clockwise direction, allowing hot air to get pushed down and it’s especially useful in rooms with very high ceilings.
Prevent Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes can put your whole house out of commission, and they can be expensive to fix. In order to avoid frozen pipes you need to protect your outdoor plumbing fixtures by disconnecting any hoses, shutting off the water to external sources, and insulating or covering all faucets. You can also slightly open indoor faucets for a steady water drip, because constant water flow through pipes can help prevent freezing or ice buildup.
Winter tasks to keep your home safe
Your top tasks for winter home maintenance varies depending on where you live. Temperatures are dropping fast, and it’s officially starting to feel like winter is coming, and if you don’t take care of certain maintenance tasks before temperatures fully plunge, you might face a mess of problems come springtime. We hope you have a few ideas that can save you money on your energy bill, and even the cost of any expensive repairs down the road. Contact us to let us know if you have any more questions, we would love to answer them!
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Following these steps, you can increase the value of your property ahead of a home sale, without breaking the bank. Why not start making improvements today! Your home will thank you for it. In the meantime, if you are thinking about selling your home or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to hear from you.
