Fall Signifies It Is Time For Your Home To Be Winterized

By Florentino Burbine


Almost everyone has heard about spring cleaning, but hardly any people know what it means to winterize your home. It really is a good idea every fall, to examine the house and see if it is prepared to get through another winter. Fall season, with the attendant dying out of leafy growth, is an excellent time to examine your house's walls, since it will be easier to spot any shrubs that are becoming invasive. House siding is quickly damaged by roots and vines that cling to the surface - even bricks aren't immune - and they should be cleaned off.

Once you're done watering for the year, you need to drain all of the hose, and roll them up to be stored away. The water to your outside faucets should be turned off, so that they can drain and get dry. When you are done with your backyard furniture for the year, clean it up and then store it in a dry spot. If you have any trees which are still developing, and especially those that have not endured a winter, shield them by placing mulch around the base of their stems. To allow for excessive rainfall, you should clean out any drainage ditches that you have.

Cold weather normally directs one's thoughts to fireplaces. Everyone calls for a chimney sweep at the same time when a frigid spell shows up, so call early to beat the rush. One never knows how the supply of firewood will be, so if you are going to need some, try and locate some in plenty of time. Try rural areas when it's convenient, where local people may sell firewood without the cost of advertising. Verify and ensure that all the smoke alarm systems are working, irrespective of whether you light fires in winter or not. If you leave your Christmas lights up for the whole year, check that the cords are still flexible. And right now is the time to get the storm windows fitted. You should verify if the weather-stripping has become dried out from the summer's heat and should be replaced.

Confirm the good working order of the range hood filters, since during winter the windows are mostly closed. Perform a check of the ground-slope all around the residence, ensuring that it falls away from the walls. When water appears to drain into the cellar, or the foundation, that can be bad news for your house. First and foremost it causes wet rot, which could change to dry rot after some time, which you sincerely want to do without. Regularly check out your home for indications of seepage.

You must check for leaks, the most at risk places being the roof, gutters, down-pipes and inside plumbing. It's a given, but all the leaks should be repaired. Encapsulate any outside pipes, certainly so if your house is older, and minimize drafts by placing a cover over air-conditioning units. Dust is more quickly noticed in the winter, so shampooing the carpets is recommended. As long as you're at it, you might as well thoroughly clean the windows.




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