Winterizing Your Home
Autumn is just around the corner and is the perfect time to create a seasonal home repairs checklist. It pays to know which renovations to tackle now, which repairs can wait until next season, and what preventative measures can help you avoid large-scale, costly repairs.
Starting off with a home inspection is a great way to help you prioritize maintenance projects as the seasons change and weather becomes more severe.
Fall is the ideal time to perform any necessary home repairs. Maintenance costs are generally lower when homeowners proactively prepare their home for winter weather instead of waiting to fix issues that appear.
Recommended Winterizing Projects Include:
* Cleaning gutters and downspouts – When ice damming occurs, water cannot drain from gutters and can sometimes seep into the home and damage ceilings and walls.
* Roof, siding and shutter repairs – Heavy rains and high winds can call for window protection from shutters and the necessity of a sturdy exterior and roof for protection. ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) recommends inspecting your roof, siding and shutters at least once a year.
* Caulking cracks to stop cold drafts – Worn-out weather stripping around doors and windows allows cold air to seep into the home, which increases heating costs.
* Inspecting chimneys – Adding a cap or screen to the top of a chimney will prevent birds nesting or animals entering. Inspect the damper for proper operation and checking mortar between bricks.
* Checking batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors – Many fires or cases of carbon monoxide poisoning occur during cooler months due to an increase in furnace and other heat source usage. If you have gas appliances, you need a CO detector for increased safety.
Before temperatures start dropping is the ideal time to address necessary home repairs. Once winter weather begins and your home has problems, you will be wasting money each month, so think about getting your home professionally inspected so you can keep the home in good condition and reduce problems from lack of maintenance.
