by the Professional Power Tool Guide Crew
We all know that when winter hits, it’s time to whip out the overcoats and ice scrapers. It’s a simple fact that new seasons require some preparation, so getting your home ready for winter should come with that territory. Believe it or not, it takes more than Christmas decorations and turkey recipes to get your house winter-ready. You might have to get a little handy. Here are a few tips that may help you along the way.
Getting your home ready for winter really isn’t difficult. You might not even have to do a lot of the work yourself, unless you want to. Since you’re going to need heat to keep your house warm, you need to make sure that your fireplace and furnace are working properly. For the furnace, call in an HVAC inspector to test the unit. Then get a bunch of filters while they’re cheap during the summer and have them stocked and ready to go. Change those filters once a month when winter finally comes. Clean your chimney before it starts to freeze outside so the soot can readily escape. Stock up on wood like you did the filters and wait for the heating to begin!
To keep all of that heat in your house though, you need to make sure there aren’t any leaks anywhere. Look outside your house for any crevices that could be letting air out and patch accordingly. Make sure that all of your pipes are sealed well, and replace any cracked glass you might find. Caulk around the windows and put weather stripping around doors to ensure that cold air doesn’t seep into your house. Switch your summer screens with glass ones, and put plastic shields on your basement winter wells. Making sure nothing leaks is just part of getting your home ready for winter, keeping the heat in and the cold out.
Another part of getting your home ready for winter involves your roof and foundation. If you live in a cold area, add some extra insulation to the attic to make sure that the warmth from your hose doesn’t hit the roof. That can cause cracking. Replace any bad shingles, and check the efficiency of your flashing. Then clean out the gutters and install leaf guards to prevent future clutters. For your foundation, seal up any areas that could be entry points for critters looking for warmth. Tuck-point foundation cracks and secure all crawlspace entrances. Then you should be set!
