As the days grow colder, it’s time to check off your winter home maintenance tips. Freezing temperatures and dry air inside your home can create many different issues, including frozen pipes and more. Help prevent future damage to the inside and outside of your home by following the winter home maintenance checklist below.
Check Your Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If you haven’t been following the daylight savings time schedule of checking these detectors, now is the time to do it. In the winter, doors and windows are shut tight which means no fresh air in your home. Dry air inside from heating systems also makes it easier for a home fire to escalate quickly. Most units have a test alert button to check the detector. If you hear any beeping, change the batteries.
Check Your Heating System
Schedule your yearly tune-up to your furnace now. Most home maintenance experts agree that an annual check-up should be performed before the weather gets too cold. They will check gas furnaces for any leaks or blockages to the vent system. All burners will be checked and hoses and filters will be replaced. If you have a heat pump, make sure your outdoor unit is free of leaves or snow and that all shrubs have been trimmed back at least 18 inches from the unit.
Clean Out Your Gutters
Gutters can fill year-round with leaves and other debris. Now is a great time to clean them out with a small rake. Gutters that are too heavy with debris can cause flooding around the exterior of your home and cause damage to your siding and foundation.
Schedule A Chimney Cleaning
If you enjoy sitting by a wood-burning fireplace during the winter months, schedule a chimney sweep now. Soot build-up or even an old bird’s nest at the top of the chimney can cause a blockage.
Prevent Pipes From Freezing
The Charlotte area doesn’t typically see freezing temperatures until January or February, but it is still a good idea to wrap your outside pipes to keep them from freezing or having a pipe burst in the winter. Check the local home goods stores for easy kits to wrap around the outside pipes.
Check Your Landscape
Ice in the winter can put extra stress on trees and plants in your yard. Now that the leaves are gone, it is easier to spot dead trees, limbs, or shrubs in your yard. Trim back trees that may be close to power lines or any big shrubs that could fall on your home during a winter storm
Prepare your home now for winter before it is too late. By checking these home maintenance tips off your list now, you can rest assured that your home will be ready for any winter storms. Do you need recommendations for any of these services in the Charlotte metro area? Contact us now and we can refer you to our list of trusted home maintenance professionals.
