With winter approaching, you know it’s time to start preparing your home for optimal comfort as you will likely be spending a lot of time indoors with your loved ones. It is also important to prepare the exterior of your home to minimize property damage from unpredictable weather and the deep-freeze.
Here are a few winter maintenance tips to help prepare your home to make it through another cold season:
1. Check and Service the Furnace or Boiler
Your heating system will be working hard for the next few months, so you need to make sure that it will keep your home sufficiently warm without failure. Consider scheduling routine inspection by a licensed contractor during this time of the year. You should get the chimney inspected and services, in addition to replacing the furnace air filter to ensure that the unit operates efficiently and maintain good air quality inside your home.
2. Inspect and Upgrade the Insulation and Weatherstripping
Your attic is the area most prone to heat loss and high heating bills in your home. Considering that warm air rises while cold air descends, having a good insulating barrier between the attic and heated living space is key to enjoying a warmer interior cost effectively.
Consider adding extra insulation in the attic to prevent ice dams. Heat escaping into the attic could melt the ice and snow on the roof temporarily, and when it refreezes, it could create ice dams that contribute to water damage or even a collapsed roof.
To prevent warm air from escaping via the drop-down attic stairs, consider installing foam weatherstripping around the opening and sealing any cracks.
Add caulking to your windows and weatherstripping around doors to reduce heat loss and protect against drafts.
If you have window screens, consider removing and replacing them with storm windows.
3. Test Smoke Detectors and the Fire Alarm System
Considering that your furnace and fireplace will be the primary source of indoor heating, you should take security measures against carbon monoxide poisoning and accidental fires. Test the batteries on your smoke and CO detectors, and replace them if necessary. Test the fire alarm by pressing the
4. Prepare the Utilities for Severe Cold Weather
Freezing temperatures can cause severe damage to the water piping. To prevent this, prepare the pipes to withstand a cold snap by fixing any water leaks, wrapping them in UL-Listed heat tape, and insulating any pipes that are exposed in unheated areas such as attics, crawlspaces, and garages. If you have plastic piping, use only thermostatically-controlled heat tape. If you plan on taking a long trip, remember to shut off your water before leaving.
Also check your water filtration system or icemaker and replace the disposable water filters as instructed by the manufacturer – typically every six months. This will keep the water clean, fresh, and flowing to prevent mold and mildew from growing in the filter.
Final Note: Take Care of the Exterior As Well
Take some time to do routine maintenance of your home’s exterior, including repairing the handrails and steps to improve safety in the snow and ice, removing leaves, twigs, and other debris from the gutters to allow proper drainage of melted snow and ice, and trim nearby trees to avoid injuries during heavy precipitation.
Also remember to keep important supplies equipment nearby, including snow shovels and a generator.