Getting Your House Ready For Winter

When the snow flies and the cold weather arrives, you need to protect your belongings from being damaged. Basic maintenance to the structure itself and the vital equipment inside it can keep you safe and warm through the winter months. Here are a few items to check.

Heating Your Home

Contact a chimney cleaning washington dc professional to inspect both your chimney and fireplace for cracks or other damage. They can free it of debris so it is safe to use. Change the filters in your furnace to ensure proper airflow through the machine. Consider having someone look over your heating unit especially if it has been a few years since its last check-up. This is also a great time to test your carbon monoxide detectors and to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. 

Inspect the Outside

Walk around the perimeter of your home and look closely for any cracks in the foundation, siding, or any other exterior part of the building. Caulk any wood that is untreated and paint it if it is chipped. This prevents it from rotting when it is saturated with cold water. Fill up any splits in your foundation and apply a sealant to your concrete driveway and sidewalks. This will keep them from further damage when the temperature causes the material to constrict. Also, add a strip of insulation around your windows and doors to trap the warm air inside and keep the frigid temperatures outside.

Maintain Your Gutters

Before the first snow comes, get a ladder and climb up to your gutters. Using gloves, pull out the dead leaves and twigs that have fallen in. If these remain, they can cause the water that falls into them to pool instead of drain to the ground. The water will damage the siding of your house, your roof, and can even get to your basement and deck. While this might be less of an issue during the winter, it will be a problem when the snow melts and the first rains of spring arrive.

Prepare Your Snow Equipment

Fill your snowblower with the proper fuel and oil and start it so that you know it works properly. Do this a few weeks before you anticipate winter to start in your area. This gives you plenty of time to get it repaired if it is broken. Look for your shovel and inspect your supply of ice melt. Replace these if they look damaged.