Are you doing what my husband and I are doing? Getting the house ready for winter.
Last week we selected a BBB accredited HVAC company to come and do any necessary maintenance on our furnace. He checked the thermostat for the electric components and controls for proper operation and oiled the motor. Then he checked the air flow and inspected the heat exchanger for possible cracks. A crack could allow carbon monoxide to seep into your house. And, of course, he put in a clean air filter.
Next, we scheduled an appointment with our landscape company to blow out our sprinkler system. He expelled all the water from the irrigation system and equipment. Experts say to not trust manual or automatic drain valves. The system should be blown out with pressurized air. You can go online and get directions on how to do this yourself. Whether you hire it done or do it yourself, make sure it is done or you will pay for it in the spring due to damage caused by the cold winter.
If you have not put on winter fertilizer be sure and do that as soon as you have a warm day over 50 degrees. You can always water your lawn using the hose with an attached sprinkler if your sprinkler system has been drained. Disconnect the hose from the exterior faucet when you are not using it. In Colorado we have to water once a month in the wintertime to keep from getting winterkill. So, I connect and disconnect my hose throughout the winter.
Check the doors and windows. Do windows need caulking? Do the doors need weather stripping on the side and bottom? Our front door does.
We still need to check our gutters and downspouts to make sure they are clean and have no leaves. Wet leaves can freeze, adding weight that can cause damage.
Has your chimney been checked and professionally cleaned recently? Make sure there are not any open mortar joints in the brick in the fireplace. If there are open areas, a fire can spread into the stud wall behind the masonry fire brick.
Take a stroll around the inside and outside the house to determine what needs to be done to prepare for winter.
How do you prepare your home for winter?