Wintertime is the most hectic for homeowners as the temperature drops. It becomes harder to maintain the landscape around the home and unpredictable weather creates unforeseen issues. By preparing your home properly, you can save money, avoid accidents and prevent yourself from being stuck waiting on repairmen in snowy conditions.
Crosstown Engineering suggests these seven do it yourself tips to prepare your home for the winter weather.
1. Drain Sprinkler Systems
Frozen water in an irrigation system can cause enough pressure for pipes to burst. Before the winter arrives, make sure to remove water from all pipes, valves and sprinkler heads. Apply a compressed air blow-out method or draining method to ensure your pipes won’t freeze.
2. Clean Out Gutter System
It is important to make sure you clean out your home’s gutters of debris before the winter season. Failing to do so can lead to water backing up against your home, damaging the roofing, siding and ground near the foundation. If you have any damaged or missing gutters, make sure to fix them as well.
3. Stock Up on Necessities
Be sure to stock up on supplies such as blankets, bottled water, canned foods and flashlights in case of storms or power outages. To prevent yourself from being stuck at home, look into purchasing other winter essentials, such as a snow blower, shovel, salt, and other ice-melting agents.
4. Insulate Walls & Attic
During both warm and cold weather, it is very important to have a properly insulated attic to stabilize the temperature of your home. The Department of Energy estimates that a properly insulated attic can shave 10 to 50 percent off of your heating bill. It’s an easy fix that will save you money and also prevent the buildup of ice dams on your roof.
5. Tune Up Heating System
Tune up your heat pump, boiler and furnace to make sure it is clean and in good condition. Inspecting your heating system also allows you to measure your carbon-monoxide leakage. Change the filters within your unit when switching from cooling to heating.
6. Check Doors and Windows
Put your hands near doors and windows to inspect for an incoming draft. To prevent cold air from getting in, and conversely warm air from getting out, insert a door sweep or caulk around your windows to weather strip your home.
7. Install Thermometers and Smoke Detectors
Thermometers and smoke detectors are a vital component this time of year. If you’ll be operating the stove, fireplace, or any other heating devices, it is very important to have a smoke detector close by to prevent emergencies from happening. Also, installing easy-to-read indoor and outdoor thermometers helps keep tabs on the temperature when the thermostat is acting up.
If you have questions regarding tips on how to prepare your home for winter, contact licensed engineering professionals at Crosstown Engineering today.
