Home Maintenance Tips: Winter Edition

Winter temps are coming in [not so] hot. With the cold air comes the potential for ice and snow, and it’s critical for not only the longevity of your home’s life, but for your safety, to make sure your house is ready to take it all on. That’s why we’ve pulled together some tips for you that will have you saying, “Bring it on, winter”. 

Insulation, insulation, and more insulation: The chilly air creeps in and cools down your house (ya know, the opposite of what you want), which then cranks up your heater – ultimately increasing the amount on your monthly heating bill. Having your pipes, attic, and crawl space sufficiently insulated helps to block out cold air and keep your house at the temp you want it without your heater putting in overtime. Hello, potential savings and cozy winter nights.  

Chimney and fireplace: Whether your fireplace runs on wood or gas, have a professional come check it out before you fire it up. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (via consumerreports.com), “fireplaces, chimneys, and heating equipment are some of the biggest causes of home fires”. Having a professional inspect yours could potentially help to avoid any mishaps. 

Trees and tree limbs: Mature trees are beautiful. The damage that their dead limbs can cause is not. Have a trusted tree service come out and inspect the surrounding trees for any branches that might not get along well with ice or snow. 

Outdoor water devices: Those spigots and sprinklers sure do come in handy for most of the other seasons, but in winter, there’s the potential for them to cause quite some chaos if not properly drained. Make sure you drain and store any hoses and/or sprinklers, and open outdoor spigots to drain trapped water prior to the first freeze. Contact your local plumber for tips (or help)! 

Homeowners insurance: We’ve got you on this one! If you want to level up on your homeowners coverage, get started today right here.