Heavy snow falls are right around the corner; soon your home and street will be covered in a white blanket. While the winter season can provide beautiful sceneries, it can also be quite a dangerous time. For that reason, you’re going to want to check out this list of things to do to your home before winter arrives. Using this list as your personal checklist will ensure you and your family are prepared for the cold season ahead.
Inspect Your Roof
Before thick snow can pile up on your roof, you’re going to want to get up there and check things out. Doing so will allow you to spot any damage or missing shingles. While inspecting your roof, you should also take the time to clean out your gutters.
The last thing you want are dirty gutters when snow arrives. Snow can cause your gutters to become overwhelmed and create significant damage. Even so, if leaves and other debris remain come spring, you’re looking at possible roof leaks when snow begins to melt.
Get Your Backyard Ready
Your backyard isn’t immune to the havoc winter can create. Use this mini list to properly prepare your backyard for heavy snowfall and below freezing temperatures.
- Apply cool weather grass seed to your lawn.
- Aerate the lawn.
- Put away any backyard items, such as patio tables and chairs.
- Store your grill or protect it with a weather cover.
- If you have one, remove the detachable parts to your wooden playset and properly prepare it for the winter.
Inspect Your HVAC System
While you may not detect any problems with your current heating system, the last thing you want is to wake up on a frigid morning and discover your furnace isn’t properly working. You can choose to have your HVAC system inspected by a professional. This will allow you to have peace of mind knowing your home is prepared for the coldest of winter days.
Always Keep Your Heat On
Once you know your HVAC system is in good shape, always keep your heat on. This is essential to preventing your pipes from freezing. Even if you’re not going to be home for a few days, you want to ensure your home is kept warm.
Reverse Your Fans
Did you know your ceiling fans have two settings? Most people don’t and when they find out, they’re pretty amazed. When the winter season arrives, you want your fan operating counterclockwise. This is a neat trick to save money on your heating expenses. When operating counterclockwise, your fan prevents warm air from rising and escaping.
You can do this by looking for a tiny switch right underneath the blades and around the cords used to turn the fan on and change speed settings. Be sure to switch it back to clockwise motion when the spring returns.
If you use this checklist as your guide for things to do to your home before winter arrives, you can guarantee your home will do exceptionally well during the cold months ahead.