Winter is almost here, and with it comes cozy nights in by the fire, snowball fights for the kids, and hot cocoa before bed. However, every homeowner knows the importance of house checks and preparation before Winter starts. Checking your home thoroughly and getting properly ready for winter will ensure that you are warm and secure throughout the season and that you won’t run into any maintenance issues. A comfortable home needs care and attention, and Fall is the ideal time for you to start thinking about a list of home maintenance tasks.
To help everyone to prepare, here are some important things you need to do to get your home ready before winter starts.
Check Your HVAC System
HVAC systems have become more and more popular in both residential houses and commercial buildings for improving the quality of the inside environment. The experts at https://hvacprograms.net/ explain that before Winter hits, you should take time during the fall season to check your HVAC system, or better yet, have a professional HVAC contractor perform an inspection and any necessary maintenance. It is important to check your HVAC system during moderate temperature weather such as fall time rather than experience technical problems with your furnace during a cold winter’s day. Make sure to check if your boiler is still working or needs replacing – but before replacing it make sure to check out best boiler deals in the market. The dry winter air can cause major problems to an HVAC, so make sure everything is working properly.
Check for Possible Air Leak Spots
Air leak spots are a common problem that leads to warm air escaping your home during winter. Common areas for air leaks are windows, doors, and poorly sealed attics. Therefore, before the winter starts, perform a careful check for air leak spots in your home. For instance, you can try to open and close windows at home to check whether they need new weather strippings to improve their seal. Try sliding a dollar note into a window and shut it then, if you can pull the note out, you should consider getting new weather stripping.
Check for Mold in Areas with High Moisture
Mold is bad for your health, yet it is very common, especially in older properties or homes with poor ventilation. As your house is mostly sealed and closed up for months during wintertime, you should carefully check for mold in advance to avoid it developing during those closed up days. Mold can be found in common areas such as on windows, in bathrooms and sinks, and in attic spaces and garages. If you notice a mold infestation, you can try using a mold spray to prevent it from growing further. If this doesn’t work, you should call in the experts because even a small mold problem can quickly escalate.
Clean Your Home Thoroughly
Aside from checking for mold, homeowners are highly recommended to perform a thorough cleaning session before winter arrives. Whilst the weather is still warm, open your windows since it is unhealthy for you to stay closed up at home with allergens, dust, and dirt negatively affecting your indoor air quality. Creating a healthy and comfortable environment at home before the winter comes will help to make the cold season more bearable.
Disconnect Your Garden Hoses
Garden hoses that are left connected to spigots trap water inside, and this can be extremely damaging during winter months as frozen water can burst both spigots and hoses open. In some cases, pipes behind spigots can burst and spray water inside your home. Keep in mind that this can happen with frost-proof spigots as well. Even if your water supply is turned off, you should always disconnect garden hoses before winter hits to avoid major water damage.
Inspect Your Roof
A thorough roof inspection is always a good idea before winter, as there are many issues that arise from neglected roof maintenance, such as moss growth, cracks in the roof, and many more. Roof inspections are both helpful in detecting roofing problems as well as planning further improvement plans in the future. Before winter arrives, check your roof and make sure it is debris-free and that there are no damaged or missing shingles.
Clear Out Your Gutters
Snow and ice need to go somewhere during winter. Clean out your gutters to make sure that melting snow and ice can pass through smoothly, and you will not have to deal with giant icicles. Falling ice is dangerous and leads to a surprising number of winter accidents. Moreover, a build-up of ice on your roof due to clogged gutters can cause roof damage and serious leaks as well.
If you are worried about securing your property for the cold weather ahead, try these maintenance tips, and get your home ready for the winter months. By doing proper maintenance and check-ups before winter, you can make sure that your home is safe from possible technical issues regarding your heating systems, burst pipes, or leaking roof.
If your household doesn’t have a heating system, you could qualify for a boiler and central heating grant through Warma UK.