Are you ready for fall? Here’s a checklist to make sure.
While many of us do not want to think about it our warm summer days are quickly fading away and cooler temps are rolling in. Just thinking about the seasons changing has me pulling out my sweaters. Fall means leaves turning shades of orange, football games on Friday nights, pumpkin everything, & of course time to prep your home for the long winter ahead. While we at Hallmark Homes do not want to wish away our time, we do believe in being prepared. The better you prepare your home for winter the more comfortable you can rest knowing your home is prepped, energy efficient, and comfortable until spring arrives again. Here is our top 10 list to help you prep your home for this upcoming winter.
1) Inspect your Furnace and Change your Filters
Filters should be changed as part of your regular home maintenance, but during winter this is more important than ever. This simple task will help you keep your furnace running efficiently all winter long. Dirty filters slow down the air flow making your furnace work twice as hard. Nothing is worse than waking up on a cold winter morning with no heat so make sure you check your filters regularly.
2) Turn off Your Outside Hose and Blow Your Sprinklers Out
Leftover water in pipes will freeze and expand causing your pipes to burst. Make sure to unhook your garden hoses and call your favorite professional to get your sprinklers blown out.
3) Clean Your Gutters
As those gorgeous autumn leaves begin to fall, they can cause a buildup in your gutters. It is important to remove any accumulated debris from the past year to prevent possible falling gutters. If your gutters are clogged and begin to fill with rain that turns to ice it can start weighing heavily on your gutters. Once the snow starts to fall the water will have nowhere to flow when it melts if your gutters are clogged.
4) Check your Roof
While cleaning your gutters take a visual inspection of your roof. Look for any damaged, missing, or loose shingles that could cause problems when snow starts to melt.
5) Get your Yard Winter Ready
This is a great time to trim your trees and shrubs one last time before the snow falls. Mowing your grass, one last fertilizer treatment, cleaning up your garden, and even mulching your leaves can all help your lawn prepare for spring.
While cleaning up your yard take a look at your home and make sure nothing needs to caulked or rescaled to prevent those winter drafts from coming in. Doing this will not only keep the drafts outside where they belong, but it will also help keep your heat bills low too.
6) Check Your Outdoor Lights
With winter sneaking up on us and daylight hours are shortening your outdoor lights are more important than ever. Adequate lighting helps ensure your and your guests’ safety whether it be for taking the trash out or coming to and from vehicles.
7) Weatherproof Doors
A doors seals can rip, compress, and even wear out over time leaving gaps for winter draft to sneak in. Replace any ripped or worn seals this fall before you let any warm air escape your home this winter.
8) Repair any Damaged Walk Areas
Damaged or broken concrete, tile, or steppingstones can be extremely dangerous for you or your guests especially with the added snow and ice on the way. Make any needed repairs to your walkway before temps drop.
9) Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors & thermostats in your home to ensure they are working and replace all batteries. Be sure to never turn off your Thermostat in the winter.
10) Purchase your Winter Maintenance Essentials Now
Snow removal gear, salt, and other winter maintenance items will sell out fast and can be hard to find in the winter so be sure to purchase them right away. Purchase shovels in advance to make sure you have them and purchase a few bags of salt or sand to make clearing your driveway easier.
When your home is prepped, and you are ready for the winter months ahead winter starts to seem not so bad. We hope this list helps you prepare your home so you can feel at ease and can Netflix your first winter snow day away.