Is preparing your house and making it ready for winter on your to-do-list at the moment? If yes, how do you ensure that it is in good shape? Most of us would rather go pick apples, enjoy the fall foliage, or sip coffee than spend time doing maintenance on our houses. But the reality is that you should always put in enough effort if you want the house to be ready for winter. If you don’t do enough preparation, ice, snow, and cold weather can damage your house.
Taking the necessary steps will ensure that you get your house winter-ready and have the right temperatures when winter sets in.
Install a carbon monoxide alarm
The first step would be to install a carbon monoxide alarm. Household appliances such as cookers, boilers, heaters, and fires that have been poorly maintained and installed could easily lead to carbon monoxide leaks. There is a legal requirement for all private landlords to ensure that these alarms are tested and fitted on a regular basis. However, you should always get one installed for you even if you aren’t a landlord.
Smart meter
Another important thing you can do is to get a smart meter. Smart meters help you to understand the heating that takes place in your house. With it, you will also know how much it costs to heat your house to the required temperatures. For instance, you will read the amount of electricity and gas in pence and pounds and the energy that you consume in real-time. The gadget that accompanies the meter may encourage you to consume electricity and gas sparingly. It is up to you to save on energy costs.
Insulate Windows and Check the Roof
There is no question that winter drafts may increase your bills on energy. It may also distract you from the good vibe that you want in your house, especially when it is cold outside. This mostly happens if the windows on your house have air leaks. By reducing drafts, you can reduce your energy cost by almost 20% each year at least according to the U.S. Energy Department. At the same time, you will be making your living room comfortable. Some quick solutions to help you insulate your windows include:
- Filling gaps with rope caulk
- Applying nail polish on your windows to fill cracks
If you apply nail polish on a cracked window, it will harden and stabilize the glass. Rope caulk is sticky and soft enough to fill the gaps left by cracks. The good thing about applying rope caulk is that you can easily remove it when the cold season ends. Another common thing you can do is to apply a V-seal weather stripping. You can easily open and close the window with the seal in place. If the bottom of the window is allowing cold air into the house, apply draft snakes.
You should always take very good care of your roof. During winter, a leaky roof will stress you out by letting water into the house. You should carry out a thorough roof inspection to identify potential issues. Even if you are scared of heights, you can still inspect your roof using binoculars. Check out for any rust spots, shingles that are curling, worn and cracked rubber boots, and masses of lichen and moss. There are fixes that you can do and those that you must involve an expert.
General Repairs
There are so many general repairs and routine upgrades that you should manage to prepare your house for winter. One common routine is to trim tree branches so as to prevent them from falling on your roof as a result of heavy storms and rains. Another thing would be clearing the gutters so that they let rainwater off the roof. You can also repair broken pipes and leaky sinks, or even seal cracks on walls. These can occur throughout the home, and in places you least expect sometimes. If you are looking for plumbers near me, a quick Google search will help.
Checking the Fireplace
There is one sure way to provide heat during winter, and that is having a well-lit fireplace. To ensure that your fireplace is in good shape and wood is burning efficiently, you should carry out a visual inspection, both outside and inside your house. For an outdoor inspection, just ensure that a chimney cap is available and in good shape. There should be no debris build-up, like a bird’s nest on the cap. You should also ensure that there are no tree limbs near or above the chimney.
The chimney should rise two feet above the roof, and the bricks and motors on it should be present and in good condition. Inside your house, you should confirm that the flue damper closes, seals, and opens properly. There should be no combustible materials or fuels such as gasoline near or in the flue. The firebox, hearth fireplace surround should have no missing motor or cracked bricks. If you spot any irregularity or damage, you should order a professional chimney and fireplace inspection. Don’t experience cold and unbearable winters anymore.
