Five Important Home Maintenance Issues You Need To Have Resolved Before Winter Hits

With winter approaching soon, homeowners should take time to prepare their homes for the impending colder months. Nothing could be worse than to turn your heater on the first cold night of winter and have it not work for you. Below are five home maintenance issues every homeowner should try to resolve before winter delivers those freezing temperatures.

 

1. Insulation

 

You want to make sure your home is properly insulated. In most homes, you can’t access the space between the plaster and drywall on the interior of the home or the exterior stucco or siding. However, in all homes you can easily access the basement and attic. Always add insulation to these areas if you can. If not, when you remodel in the future, be sure to add insulation to these spaces.

 

2. Roofing

 

Check your gutters and roofing for damage to be sure they can make it through the winter. If you don’t feel comfortable climbing up to the roof, get in touch with a roofing contractor to have it checked. Some contractors will come out and perform a free check, or they might charge a small fee for the service.

 

3. Heating

 

Make sure your heating system and furnace are operating properly. It is not recommended that a homeowner check their heating system themselves for damages. Always hire a professional heating service or furnace services company to come check these systems for you. The last thing you need is to have problems with your heater once the temperatures begin falling below freezing.

 

4. Secure Entrances

 

Check your windows and doors to make sure they are sealed properly. Sliding doors and hinged doors need weather-proofing to make sure no cold air comes into your home from the outside. Cold outside air will add a lot to your heating bills and can create other problems, such as mold and mildew from moisture forming on the windows and doors. This can eventually work its way down to the floor, framing and drywall.

 

5. Inspect Plumbing

 

Make sure the drainage system for your water pipes is working properly to keep pipes from bursting. This is especially true if you live in a location where the temperatures normally fall below freezing.

Always remember that using a little common sense can go a long way. If you ran into problems last year with some areas of your home, try to get those fixed this year. This will save you a lot of frustration, grief and money during the colder winter months.