Winter can be a tricky thing when it comes to home ownership, temperatures fluctuate a lot and the smallest thing could wreak havoc on your house. From clogged rain gutters and ice dams to cracked sprinklers. Here's a good list to double check and go over before the temperatures start to drop down to damaging digits. It's the small things that count, and the small things that can ruin your day...
- Change furnace filters – dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand.
- Run fans in reverse – most people only think of fans when they want to be cool, but many ceiling units come with a handy switch that reverses the direction of the blades. Counterclockwise rotation produces cooling breezes while switching to clockwise makes it warmer – air pooled near the ceiling is circulated back in the living space – cutting your heating costs.
- Sprinkler lines – you may need to hire a contractor to blow out any excess moisture in the sprinkler lines.
- Remove any hoses from the hose bibs.
- Icicles or ice damming – ice dams can cause meltwater to back up in gutters or under roof shingles and flow into your home if not taken care of immediately. You may need to have heat tape installed on the roof. North facing roofs are particularly susceptible to ice dams.
- Check exterior caulking and weather stripping to make sure it has not shrunk or deteriorated.
- Rain gutters should be free of debris.
- Check the extensions on the rain gutter downspouts to make sure they are clear of debris. If there is a pop up present at the end of the extension pipe, make sure grass has not grown over the pop up and is free of debris which would prevent water from flowing out. Also, check around outside of home to make sure settling has not occurred and that you have positive grade away from your home.
- Annual sealing of exterior concrete is recommended. The use of salt or ice melt chemicals can damage concrete. Remove snow as quickly as possible so snow and ice does not build up. Driving on snow and ice can damage concrete.
- Check all exterior painted surfaces and repaint if necessary to prevent moisture damage.
- Adjust door thresholds and repair damaged weatherstripping.
- Adjust thermostat settings and heat vents in the home to maximize air flow distribution throughout your home.
Believe it or not, salt and snow is very unforgiving to driveways and sidewalks. It is important that snow is removed quickly and appropriately.
