Preparing for winter is a specialized activity, especially in places that face extreme weather conditions. If you avoid preparing, you face additional challenges. Create your honey do checklist early for a safe and healthy winter.A honey do checklist for fall and winter will definitely help you. Make sure to check all of the boxes on this list to keep your home maintained.
Check Weather Stripping
If the weather stripping around doors and windows look worn out, have it replaced. This is a potential source of cold air entering your home and significantly increasing your heating bills. Remove the caulking if it is ragged and replace with moisture resistant ones. The purpose is to insulate your home from external harsh elements.
Clean the Chimney
Annual chimney maintenance is another important fall task. Never light up a chimney unless you’ve had it cleaned by a professional chimney sweep. Have it checked for built up creosote and animals or bird nests inside. Be warned that creosote can even result in a blaze in your home. For future safety and to prevent birds and animals nesting inside, have a net fixed over the opening.
Remove Window AC units
If you have Window AC units, remove and store them away. Temporarily board up those windows if possible. The better home maintenance option would be to get strong and snug insulated sleeves for the unit. Apart from protecting the AC from low temperatures outside, it will also strengthen the insulation of your home.
Drain Outdoor Faucets
Ensure that all outdoor faucets and irrigation systems are drained of water and dry them out. Water left behind will freeze over and the pipes will burst leading to very costly repairs in spring. While at it, check the exterior of your house for peeling paint or blisters, cracked walkways, driveways and steps. Have them repaired and plastered over. If left behind under snow in this condition it will worsen matters because of water seepage below.
Give your Gutters a Makeover
Roof gutters and downspouts protect the exterior walls of your home from water seepage. Clogged gutters can damage your exterior walls and lead to water accumulation in the basement. As the leaves drop and block the gutters in fall and winter, clean the gutters and downspouts and have them covered with mesh guards. For more on this home maintenance job, check out best gutter cleaning practices. or, gutter guards.
Preventive Maintenance of Heating Systems
Now this is crucial and should be on top of your list even though we listed it last here. This applies, regardless of what type of heating unit you own. Have it serviced and thoroughly checked. Repairing the system now is better than being in a queue for repairs if it breaks down in the peak of winter.Winter is a season for the family to spend quality time with each other in the cozy confines of the home. Take these measures to ensure that it does stay that way.
