We all know it’s coming, but it always seems to hit sooner than expected…snow. With temperatures rapidly dropping, it’s important to take the necessary steps to get your home ready for the winter season. Save yourself from cold drafts, unwanted critters, and wasted time by getting a head start this fall with these winter preparation tips.
Hang your Christmas lights
Get ahead of the game by hanging your Christmas lights on the roof now. Putting up lights in the middle of winter can be cold and dangerous. Either hire a professional now or pull out your trusty ladder and lights to string them yourself.
Enjoy the Christmas season without the dreaded stress of hanging lights in the freezing cold.
Seal your windows and doors
Save money on your heating bill and prevent cold drafts in your home by repairing the seals on your windows and doors. Use caulking on the window to repair any holes, no matter how small they may seem.
If you can see light glowing through the frame of your doors, then it may be a good idea to replace the weatherstripping.
Reverse your ceiling fans
Ceiling fans aren’t only good for hot summer days, but they can also surprisingly help keep your home warm. By changing the direction of the fan to rotate clockwise, it sends the warm air from the ceiling down through the rest of the room.
Cover your water heater
Just like we wear sweaters to trap in the heat and keep the cold out, water heater covers work the same way.
Buying a water heater cover will provide an extra layer of insulation to keep the water warmer, which means your heater doesn’t have to try as hard to keep the water temperature up.
Over time, this small investment will help you save money on your heating bills.
Check all foundations
Walk around the perimeter of your garage and the exterior of your home to inspect for any small openings. Clear away any wood or leaf piles from the edge of the house to prevent small critters from seeking out shelter near your home.
Seal up any small holes in your home’s foundation, and call for pest control to prevent any insects or critters from setting up camp your home this winter.
Clean your gutters
This time of year especially, leaves and gunk collect in your rain gutters and block them from draining. It’s important to clean these out before heavy snowfall and below-freezing temperatures arrive to cause damage from overflow and ice.
Overflow can damage your home’s exterior as well as the foundation if water pools. Gutter leakage may also lead to dangerously large icicles in the winter.
Prepping your home for winter can be taxing work, but it’s worth it, in the end, to save time, money, and stress by preventing potential hazards. They may not be the most enjoyable tasks, but it’s best to start sooner than later to get ahead of the cold and ensure your home’s protection from the chilling season.
