Winter Home Maintenance Tips: Prepare for the Cozy Season
As the temperature drops, it's crucial to ensure your home is ready for the winter months. Here are some valuable tips on winter home maintenance to keep your property in top-notch condition.
Get ready for winter storms
Check the condition of your snow shovels, gloves and window scrapers, and replace as needed. Store snowy-weather supplies near the door where you can access them easily in a storm, and mark the sides of your driveway and other key places with reflective poles, to help the snow plowers see where to go. And even if it doesn’t snow where you live, keeping the pantry stocked with food, bottled water, candles and flashlights in case of power outages is always a good idea.
Block drafts
If you feel a draft, don’t just reach for another throw blanket — apply weatherstripping to the drafty area to warm up your house and save on your energy bill. If the cold air is getting in under a door, what you need is a door sweep. Usually made of hard plastic, a door sweep attaches to the bottom of your door, sealing off the gap that lets in cold air.
Have your chimney cleaned
If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to schedule a cleaning with a certified chimney cleaner before you light that first fire of the season. Creosote can build up in the chimney, increasing the risk of a house fire.
Update your emergency kit
Be prepared for power outages and other emergencies by making sure your house and car are outfitted with well-stocked emergency kits. The basics include bottled water, a hand-crank radio, a flashlight with extra batteries, a cell phone charger (hand-crank or battery-powered is best), food, blankets and a first-aid kit. At home, keep essential documents in one easily accessible place.
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