The snow season is swiftly approaching for 2021 - Are you ready?
There are plenty of winter sports and activities during this magical time of year, and you don’t want homeowner headaches to thwart your adventures. So, don’t get stuck fixing up your house in the cold months – take this time in the fall to practice some preventative maintenance.
Whether you’re staying in town, or leaving for warmth, there are some things you should do for your houses’ well-being. We at WK Real Estate know snow, and how it can harm your home. Here are our tips & tricks to keep your house in tip-top shape before the snow arrives:
Gather those winter tools:
First and foremost, make sure that you’ve got plenty of de-icing and de-snowing products like rock-salt, “snowmelt” or “icemelt.” Additionally, you’ll want to stock up on some of the liquid “blue” products for your car or vehicle. You definitely don’t want to be out on the road, swerving and straining to see on cold, snowy days.
After that, make sure that you have a:
- Snow shovel – For those "fun" times when it’s just piled up too high
- Snow broom – Swishy J
- Roof rake – For tough-to-reach spots where snow piles up and can cause damage
- Snowblower – This one is optional, but a great tool to have on-hand when you need it.
Cut back on plant watering, but don’t stop completely:
You’ve put hours or days into nurturing your outdoor plants, and now they’re about to get blasted by cold and snow! Even if you do your best to protect them, the winter weather will probably take its toll. Don’t fret - they’ll be back next year, and you might be able to keep them going through winter if you practice these steps.
- Check any irrigation systems for cracks and leaks. When the weather turns chilly, those could grow to be big problems. Nip ‘em in the bud now, and reduce or disable water flow as soon as ice arrives.
- Cut back on watering the plants. Water-logging your precious outdoor plants will do them absolutely no good before a cold frost, which could end up freezing the water you just gave them.
- Don’t completely stop watering plants, though. They do still need a bit.
- Try to hand-water plants on warm days to keep them alive and happy. As an added bonus, you'll get some sunshine, too!
Check your exteriors!
Your house has a lot of surface area exposed to the elements – take a look to see where you may have gaps in weather stripping & other openings.
- Check windows, doors, and vents for gaps. Apply new weather stripping where it is needed.
- Check vents and air outlets for debris or plants nearby. You may need to clear some of that out in case we get a big snowstorm, or they could get blocked.
Reverse those ceiling fans!
Reversing your ceiling fan direction helps keep you warm, keeps your house air circulating, and reduces your electric/natural gas bill.
Protect your air conditioning unit
While on the topic of fans, air, and circulation… don’t forget about your A/C unit! It may seem silly, but plenty of units are damaged or broken over the winter by falling icicles and other snow debris. Be sure to protect yours with a cover you can buy, or you can apparently put a sheet of plywood on top of the unit and weigh it down with rocks or bricks.
But, what if you’re leaving a property vacant over the winter months? Here are some thoughts on what you can do to prevent damage, and make for a much happier return when the weather warms up.
- Turn up the temp! Experts recommend that you keep the heat no lower than 68 degrees. This will help prevent your pipes from breaking. Even if they’re sweet, you probably don’t want to get that neighborly phone call telling you that water is leaking, or worse yet, return to a soggy, moldy house.
- Keep your HVAC system inspected & up-to-date. Make an appointment for your furnace and water heater to get inspected before you head out for the season.
- Check that chimney! Even though you won’t be using it, your chimney is an open, exposed airway for winter to attack. Before leaving, have your chimney cleaned and make sure that you can light a fire in it without risk when you’re ready to.
- Test your house alarms. Make sure that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are doing their jobs, lest a damaging fire or other incident occur. While you’re at it, check any other alarms or security devices to make sure that they are doing what you want them to. This includes smart-home devices, which you may want to relay messages to your phone while you’re away from the residence.
- Lastly, stay on top of snow removal. This is especially relevant if your property is up for sale or rent during the winter season. The last thing you want is for a potential buyer/tenant to be turned away from looking at the property due to it being inaccessible.
Once you’ve done these steps, your house will be closer to safe and ready for winter weather. Of course, there are more issues that could come up, and your situation is unique. Please, take the steps that you need to for your property to ensure its continued wellness and pleasant, cozy feel.
What are some winter-prep tools, procedures, or checklists that you use as we get ready for the cool season? We’d love to hear about them. Tell us your suggestions at: facebook.com/wkrealestate/posts/10160129749829131
Remember that we at WK Real Estate want you to find the property of your dreams. Please, contact us today to see how we can help you.