When winter comes, you must ensure your home is ready and comfortable for the cold weather. That means making all the necessary adjustments to keep it safe and ensure the cold season will not affect you. It means checking the heating system to ensure it is in good working condition, sealing cracks and spaces on windows and doors, cleaning gutters, etc. you also need to supervise the areas around your house to ensure no trees will be falling on the roof. Not doing all these things could put you in danger and make your home uncomfortable. So, confirm you and your property will be safe by being cautious and preparing for winter. Here is what you need to do.
Check the Heating System
The heating system is a vital piece of equipment in the house. Usually, it is possible to ignore it during the warm seasons until winter comes and you need something to heat your home. It is advisable to maintain the unit even during the hot season to ensure it will serve you well when the cold season comes. If you have a faulty system, it means you cannot warm up the house. You may also be risking your home to a fire. Therefore, before the season starts, call a professional to inspect the heating system and ensure it is in top-notch condition and ready for winter.
Check the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Sensors
You will use the furnace and heating system most of the season. Therefore, it means you may have instances of fire. It is vital to ensure the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Carbon monoxide has been for a long time the leading cause of house fires. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure you can detect the presence of dangerous gas before it causes an issue. So, inspect the detectors, and if they are faulty, consider replacing them with new ones.
Repair Cracks
Another crucial thing you will do is repair cracks to prevent warm air from escaping from the house. Open spaces on windows and doors could be the escape route for warm air. Cold air could also be seeping in therefore, ensure you seal all the cracks to prevent air from escaping.
Mow the Lawn
Winter may be the best time to trim your grass and apply fertilizer for the grass to sprout well. The first thing you need to know when you have a lawn is how to take care of your grass. Know the best months to fertilize, overseed and aerate. Cutting the grass during winter is the best option. Apart from keeping your lawn healthy, it also prevents creating harboring grounds for pesky insects and pests like mosquitoes and rodents. It may be an excellent idea to look for the best lawn care services in the area. Professionals will help you take care of the lawn to keep it and your home healthy for winter.
Collect Firewood
It is good to ensure you have collected enough firewood if you have a chimney. Please keep it away from water and in an accessible place. It may also be good to clean the chimney. You can DIY chimney cleaning or call a chimney sweep. Ensure the wood is stored in a safe and dry place so you will not need to walk outside the house.
Clean Gutters
The gutters may have accumulated debris during summer when trees are shedding leaves. So, before the cold season, clean the gutters to ensure water will flow smoothly away from the house. This eliminates the problem of having water accumulating in the basement and doorway. Water could seep through the roof without proper flow, causing structural damage. So, clean the gutters and repair any issues to ensure water flows well.
Inspect Your Compound
Winter comes with wind, rain, and sometimes heavy storms. If you have trees hanging too close to the house or power line, you may risk ruining the roof, inviting pests, or losing power. So, remove all broken, bending, and shaking branches hanging from the tree. Inspecting the areas around the house will ensure you will not have any issues when the season begins.
Conclusion
These are simple ways to keep your home comfortable and healthy during winter. The cold season requires you to stay warm. That means you need to make several changes to achieve that. Try the above tips to ensure you are ready for winter. Making these adjustments early before the season starts is advisable to ensure everything is in a good state.
