Winterizing Your Home for Winter; Part 1

          Getting your home ready for winter is a step that should be taken before winter gets here. Some people like to sit around and wait and then when the wind and snow storms blow in they are running around like crazy trying to get things together! Sound familiar? Let's not do that again this year! I'm going to help make the process a little easier. I have 10 steps to help you prepare your home for winter! I'll break these steps down into two different blogs! Here's part ONE!

1) Furnace Inspection
•Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
•Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
•Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
•If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
•Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready
•Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
•If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
•Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
•Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
•Check the mortar between bricks and tuck-point, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows
•Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
•Use weather-stripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.
•Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
•If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
•Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.

4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts
•If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams.
•Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
•Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.
•Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.
•Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment
•Drain gas from lawnmowers.
•Service or tune-up snow blowers.
•Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
•Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
•Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.
Stay tuned for part 2 of winterizing your home for winter!
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