When winter starts approaching, most homeowners find themselves searching for ways to keep their heating bills low. And while using alternative energy sources is one effective way to receive less frightening power bills over winter, it’s also essential to prepare your home for the cold weather.
Even though you might be focused on staying warm, you also need to ensure your property is prepared for harsh cold weather.
Inspect The Fireplace
Fireplace Maintenance and care are critical for proper functions. For the outdoor inspection, you will need to replace or install a chimney cap, clear any obstructions, inspect the structure, and check the flue. Moreover, you must also inspect the thermal fan, draw collar, or air damper on your fireplace to ensure it is working correctly.
Check The Roof
The roof of your home is imperative to structural integrity. Before winter, you must inspect the roof to ensure shingles are not missing or broken, clear masses of moss and lichen, and look for worn and damaged rubber boots around property vent pipes.
If you notice any damages, it’s essential to consult a roofing company to conduct repairs. Unfortunately, a DIY approach is not recommended because roof repairs can be dangerous, and you will need specific tools and knowledge.
Clear Out The Gutters
While inspecting your roof, you should also clear out the gutters. It’s vital to prioritize the chore of gutter cleaning once or twice every year. If debris builds up and causes blocks, gutters will break during rain, and this can lead to more extensive and costly property damage.
Insulate The Windows
Winter drafts can be the culprit behind a hefty heating bill. If heat is escaping your home, your heating system will need to work harder to keep your home warm.
Inspect windows and doors for cracks and holes and patch them up in preparation for winter.
You can also consider installing energy-efficient windows panes if your budget allows this type of eco-friendly home improvement. These window panes are far more capable of keeping heat inside, so your power bill will lower substantially over winter.
Insulate Pipes
Bursting pipes are typically a prominent concern for homeowners who live in frigid regions. Burst pipes can be pretty costly to repair as well, so it’s best to avoid the instance with prevention measures.
Insulate exposed pipes with insulation tape or another suitable product. In addition, keeping your home warm and using faucets regularly are other ways to prevent pipes from freezing.
It’s imperative to prepare your home for winter for several reasons. Firstly, harsh cold weather conditions can cause property damage if you don’t. Beyond this, neglecting these prep chores can also increase energy consumption over winter.
Nevertheless, if winter property maintenance tasks are a bit too overwhelming for any reason, you can also consider relying on professional services to help prep your home instead. Professional residential services are usually affordable and efficient solutions to keep up to date with essential property maintenance.
