About the Author:
Kaitlin Krull is a writer and mom of two girls. She enjoys writing for the Texas heating and cooling professionals at Modernize HVAC Leads with the goal of providing expert knowledge on home improvement projects and connecting homeowners to qualified HVAC contractors.
As the seasons change and the holidays come creeping in, it can be easy for homeowners to get swept up in festive preparations and family gatherings. However, getting your home ready for winter is just as important as buying gifts and planning parties. The colder weather that is already upon many of us can wreak havoc on an unprepared home, so we’ve come up with a list of some of the most important home improvement and maintenance jobs to tackle before the holiday season.
Winterize your exterior
Taking care of your home’s exterior and outdoor areas is an essential part of home ownership, and it’s especially important during the fall and winter months. Before the temperatures become too low, cleaning and prepping the areas around your home will help keep your house damage-free when spring rolls around again. Here are a few maintenance projects in the coming weeks:
- Clear out your gutters and drains, trim your hedges
- Cut your grass one last time, and put flowers and plants to bed for the winter
- Inspect your roof and install any de-icing cables or other suitable rooftop products if your area is particularly wintry
- Prepare for icy and snowy conditions on your driveway and sidewalk by readying your snow blower, shovels, salt, and other winter maintenance items.
Service your HVAC unit
Once the outside of your home is inspected and prepped, you can begin to focus on your home’s interior. Your HVAC unit in particular will be used almost constantly over the next few months, so making sure everything is in working order will save you from unexpected problems later on. You should have your HVAC system serviced at least once a year, but checking out the system and individual components both before winter and again in the spring is best practice in order to ensure proper and efficient running of your system. You can find online tutorials for basic cleaning and inspection of your HVAC unit, but don’t hesitate to bring in a professional for servicing or air conditioner repair.
Upgrade your insulation
Although your HVAC unit will be bearing the brunt of the heating work this winter, you can maximize your home’s energy efficiency and increase your comfort levels by making your home as well-insulated as possible. This applies to insulation found in your wall cavities and attic as well as the insulation that covers your pipes. Although quality insulation should last the lifetime of your home, you may need to add more or replace moldy portions from time to time. If your home is particularly drafty, you should also consider caulking and weatherstripping your windows to prevent leakage.
Clean out your fireplace
If you are lucky enough to have a working fireplace in your home, now is the time to start thinking about getting it ready for the season. Before you start your first fire of the year, bring in a chimney sweep to clean it out and check for any issues and/or wildlife in your flue (this should be done every year). Test your carbon monoxide detectors and make sure they are placed near the fireplace and bring in plenty of firewood and kindling. After all is said and done, you can decorate your mantelpiece and enjoy a cozy night in front of the fire!
Complete any big DIY jobs
If you have any long term home improvement projects on the go, you might want to think about pausing or finishing them before winter hits. Projects that require lots of moving in and out of the house (such as kitchen or bathroom remodels and extensions) are best completed during warmer months—both for the sake of your home’s energy use and for your comfort and convenience. After all, any busy entertaining period will be much smoother with fewer disruptions. While you can continue to make small DIY projects happen over the winter months, you might also consider whether you want to paint rooms before the weather takes a turn. After all, painting requires substantial airing time, and windows and doors will need to be open for a day or two after they are completed.
After you’ve completed all of your winter home preparations, you can turn your focus to decorating your home for the holidays and getting ready for friends and family. While the atmosphere in your home may not always be calm and quiet, at least your house will be ready!
If you are thinking about selling or buying a home, now would be a great time to visit with a real estate professional, who is knowledgeable of the communities in and around the San Antonio area. Call Jerry today at 210-789-4216, or visit my website at Homes For Sale in and Around San Antonio.
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