The winter season is a time where you and your family can cozy up in your home and enjoy the indoor warmth of the season. Keep winter a pleasant time in your home — take care of any fixtures or systems within your house that could be damaged in the cold weather. Keep your home well maintained through examination and repair of potential plumbing, critter, caulking and heating problems. Here is a comprehensive checklist of what should be maintained in your home during the winter months:
Frozen Pipes
Changing temperatures can make your water pipes expand and contract, stressing the metal and causing ruptures. Make sure your pipes are well insulated so you don’t encounter frozen pipe damage. One method of prevention is to insulate your pipes well with a foam-based therma-shield. If you aren’t able to insulate your piping, you can constantly run your faucets so they expel a slight drip, which keeps water active within the pipes. The drip method should only be used in an emergency situation, where you’ve encountered surprisingly low temperatures, as it isn’t very sustainable. You can also prevent frozen pipes be keeping the temperature of your home no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If your pipes do freeze, call a licensed plumber who can consult with you on repairs.
Critters Seeking Warmth
Just as you and your family like to stay cozy in the winter, so do the little critters and creatures that live outside of your house. Many mammals will see your home as the perfect winter burrow. Their infiltration into your home will cause exterior and insulation damage, as well as create unsanitary conditions. For removal of these fuzzy infiltrators, use a humane and ethical wildlife control service.
Worn Caulking
Keep things sealed up to keep the winter chill out of your home. Examine your caulking around your windows, doors, outdoor faucets and air vents. If there are cracks, you are likely letting the warm air out and the cold air in, which undermines the efficiency of your heating system. You can easily repair any cracks in the caulking with a caulking kit from the hardware store. If you are uneasy about doing it yourself, you can also outsource the job to a painter or someone who is well-practiced in caulking.
Heating Systems
Check your heating systems before you enter into the colder months. Keep an eye and ear out for any strange noises coming from your furnace, wander the house to see if there are any cold areas and test out your fireplace. The best way to maintain your heating systems is for them to be cleaned every year. If you use high-efficiency heating systems, like in-floor heating, make sure your PVC vent pipes are in good working order and clear of debris. Your fireplace should also be cleaned so you can avoid a hazardous build up of creosote, which can cause a house fire. Regular cleaning should be done by someone certified in the field, so you know your heating system is safe.
Check Detectors
Safety should always be considered when constantly heating your home in the winter months. Your heating systems may be fire hazards, so test out your smoke detectors and install new batteries in them. You should also have a carbon monoxide detector in every room, especially if you burn wood in a fireplace or woodstove, so you are protected from harmful emissions.
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