If you are a newbie homeowner, you might be wondering about how to prepare your home for winter maintenance. Depending on your region, the temperatures might start dropping sooner than you might think. The moment you feel the fall season leaving, you can prepare your home for winter maintenance.
Here are some essential tips for winter home maintenance.
Inspect Chimneys
As soon as the winter kicks in, you will start using your fireplace for heating. Depending on what you have at home, it could also be a wood stove. It is essential to have the chimney checked before you start using the fireplace, especially for the prevention of chimney fires.
Besides, a blocked chimney can also increase the potential chances of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why you must ensure to have the fire and carbon monoxide detectors serviced or have their batteries changed.
While inspecting your chimney, also make sure to assess your roof for any potential missing tiles or cracked tiles, in which case, you might want to call in the roofing repair services. If you have a decorative fireplace that you don’t really use, you should consider investing in a chimney balloon to keep the heat inside and prevent the cold air from entering your house.
Inspect for Leaks & Drafts
Before the first winter snow, you will have to go through a home energy audit and call an HVAC contractor to thoroughly inspect the cooling/ heating system. Besides, inspect the windows, doors, and walls, including the attic and basement, for any potential cracks and gaps that could cause the cold air from entering your house and the heat to escape, only resulting in more energy bills.
In case you find leaks and drafts, here are some useful ways to seal them:
- Apply caulk around windows and doors.
- Add insulation to your attic to prevent heat loss.
- Replace wooden doors with doors of steel or fiberglass.
- Paste bubble wrap to seal windows.
- Install a storm door at the main door (entrance door) to control heat loss.
- Use blackout blinds/ curtains on the windows to keep the heat in at night.
- Cover pet doors and mail slots with heavy cloth or insulation to keep the heat inside and the cold outside.
Install Carpet Rugs
Another way to prepare your house for the winter is by covering the bare floors. By placing a carpet rug next to your bed, you can ensure that your feet don’t hit the cold bare floor and that the room stays warm in the winter season. While we don’t ask you to install wall-to-wall carpeting, you can cover certain spots of your floors with fluffy rugs; speaking of this, installing carpet rugs is also an excellent way to add warmth and coziness to the interior space.
Reverse Ceiling Fans
Another efficient way to store heat in the winter is by reversing the ceiling fan blade to keep pushing down the warm air. You will also save loads of money on utility bills by reversing the ceiling fan blades.
