Winter Ready: Your Essential Home Checklist for the Season

It’s time for some seasonal preventative maintenance! When the seasons change, it’s a good idea to be diligent about making sure your home is ready for the upcoming temperature change. Just like buying winter coats and long pants to keep us warm, our homes require preparation ahead of colder months.

Here is a winter checklist for your home.

• Clean Gutters: It may not seem like a bid deal, but gutters clogged with leaves and branches can wreak havoc on your home if water finds its way through cracks and inside your home where it can cause expensive damage. Clear gutters give water a safe pathway away from your home.
• Heating and Filters: When it starts to get colder, we turn to our furnace to help keep us warm at night. Have your heating unit checked for any issues before it gets too cold and make sure to replace old filters and get any needed servicing done.
• Fireplace Maintenance: Keep your fire crackling and safe by inspecting your fireplace and chimney before you begin to use it. Fireplaces can set the mood or pose a serious threat to everyone’s safety so do your due diligence and make sure your fireplace is ready to use.
• Look for Cracks and Gaps: It’s an ideal time to check for any cracks in your home or conspicuous gaps. Temperature can make your home expand and contract through the year leaving room for potential cracks. Make sure you locate and fill those areas quickly as they can create drafts.
• Outdoor Furniture: Winter isn’t exactly “lawn season” and excessive cold weather, rain, and snow can shorten the life of your outdoor furniture. Make sure you have a storage plan to get those items out of the elements and into a dry place to wait until spring.
• Outdoor Hoses: Don’t forget to disconnect and drain all outdoor hoses and sprinklers that are not fixed. Store the hoses away through the winter and shut off the valves to the outdoor water sources as those can freeze and create burst pipes.
• Emergency Preparedness: Stock up on emergency provisions for winter-specific weather that can leave you without electricity, heat, or the ability to leave for a few days. Educate your family on what to do in the event of a weather emergency and make sure you have light sources in easy-to-reach places. Inspect trees close to your house to make sure they are not a tragedy waiting to happen.

It only takes a few steps to ensure your home is ready to host the winter season safely and give you peace of mind.  Follow this helpful checklist to ensure your home is ready to ring in the holiday season along with you.