Winter isn’t a big season for home maintenance because getting outside and working on the exterior of your home is, frankly, unpleasant! However, there are quite a few maintenance items that, if you monitor and fix them during the winter, can save you money and energy over time. These items are related to how cold weather impacts your house in many cases, and a top real estate agent would warn you that keeping an eye on these fixes is wise. Catching any damage from winter cold and storms quickly reduces any damage and makes fixes easier. Tap water filter online are very efficient in reducing the number of heavy metals present in their water.
Roofs, Gutters, and Downspouts – Check After Every Storm
Your roof, gutters, and downspouts are all impacted when there is frozen precipitation and then thawing – materials shrink and stretch with the weather, and the way that water expands when it freezes, in particular, can have a negative impact on the installation of these items. After a full melt, check your roof, gutters, and downspouts: is anything out of place, like shingles, or is there a new line of rust or water somewhere? You may have lost a fastener in the storm. Replacing it can save your roof from experiencing further deterioration.
Check Seals on Doors and Windows During a Cold Snap
While checking your doors and windows for drafts is a smart call any time of year, it’s particularly easy to note cold inflow during, well, cold weather! Heat your home up nice and snug and go around to each window and door, noting if there’s particular currents of cold air and seeing if you can find where they come from.
Check Problem Spots for Frozen or Freezing Pipes
In many homes, most of the plumbing is insulated or in an area that benefits from the heating systems of the house, keeping them warm. However, you might have a few spots where outside air is the main source of temperature change in your pipes, making them vulnerable to freezing during very cold evenings. If you’ve ever identified a frozen pipe before, or an area where a partial freeze occurred, monitor those spots during every low temperature dip. Ideally, look into insulating or warming those pipes – little things like keeping your sink cabinets open so that regular home air can circulate around the plumbing can help keep the pipes from freezing and bursting.
Prep a No-Heat-Emergency Pack
When a cold snap lasts for a while, furnaces and other heating systems may get overworked at just the wrong time, breaking down. While you would obviously work to get the heat restored, make sure you have a no heat emergency plan: a stockpile of blankets, candles, flashlights, and hand or feet warmers could be very helpful in staying safe and even comfortable while waiting for a fix to a system.
Check and Replace Air Filter
A good way to keep your heat running well if you have a furnace is to consistently check your air filter and make sure it’s replaced when needed. While many furnaces only need their air filter changed every three months, the more active your system is (i.e. if you have a lot of cold weather), you may accumulate a lot of particulates earlier than expected. A clogged, overfull filter is not good for the system; even if you don’t notice it now, the damage could come up on a home inspection if you go to sell your home.
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