Did you take the time to prepare your home for the winter? Since we’re currently experiencing very cold temperatures, I’m hoping you spent some time getting your home ready to deal with this harsh weather. Let’s take a look at a few quick home maintenance tips that you should have done to get your house ready for the winter season (and if you didn’t do this, it’s alway next winter to get prepared).
Check Your Roof, Gutters and Spouts
Your roof is one of the most important structural elements in your home, and one that is going to face the brunt of any inclement weather that passes through Philadelphia. If you feel comfortable on a ladder, climb up and quickly inspect the roof for damage or missing shingles. You’ll also want to clean the gutters and drain spouts, removing leaves and other gunk so that water can flow freely from your roof to the ground.
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Drain Your Faucets, Hoses and Irrigation System
If you have exterior faucets and hoses you’ll need to flush out and drain any remaining water before storing them away for the winter. In-ground irrigation systems should have an anti-freezing treatment performed by a professional as freezing can cause a significant amount of damage to pipes and outlets.
Check Your Doors and Windows for Drafts
Leaky windows and doors can cause your heating bill to skyrocket, so spend a few minutes going around the house to inspect seals and frames to see if anything is leaking. Pay close attention to any single-pane windows as leaks can appear over time due to expansion caused by temperature fluctuations. It takes just a few cents worth of caulking to save many dollars in wasted heat.
Store Your A/C and Prep Your Furnace
Finally you’ll want to ensure that your air conditioning unit has been fully shut down and properly stored. If you have an in-ground unit, you’ll also need to cover it to protect it from rain, snow and wind. If you use a furnace to heat your home, be sure to clean or replace its air filter and consider firing the entire system up so you can check the ducts for leaks.
These home maintenance tips will help keep your home in peak condition and prevent damage that can reduce your resale value. I hope you acted upon some of these tips, and if you didn’t I’ll try to remind you next fall to get on the ball before winter! Stay warm my friends and lets hope it will be spring soon (or at least a little warmer because it’s too cold for me).
By the way, if have any questions or comments about the article, or have any other suggestions about what we should do to prepare our homes for the winter, please share below so that all of the readers can learn from you too!
About Agent Lady: Cherise Wynne is a leading real estate agent in Philadelphia, helping home buyers and sellers navigate the City of Brotherly Love, with a special focus on first time home buyers. To chat about getting started with your first time home buying experience, click here.
