Home Maintenance For Winter

Winter is here! Which means you get to hang your holiday lights, put up your Christmas tree, cozy up next to your fireplace with a delicious cup of hot chocolate and watch your favorite Hallmark Christmas movies in your new living room. 
 
However, before you get to decorate and lounge you must first check your winter home maintenance. Checking your home maintenance will help save on electricity, and repairs that can be avoided in the future. 
 
Clean Gutters and downspouts.
• Damaged gutters can weaken your roof and damage the foundation of your house due to the gutters failure to channel water properly.

Ensure water drains properly and it doesn’t pool.
• Remember water expands when it freezes, so when temperatures drop pools of water can cause damage to foundations, driveways and walkways.

Repair loose or damaged window or door frames.
• Damaged windows can cause your heat to escape, as a result, your electricity bill can come back much higher than usual. Cracks on windows can also cause water to leak into not only on your walls but also your furniture, carpet and decorations.

Replace filter in your furnace.
• A clogged filter can cause your heater to work a lot harder therefore, causing your electricity bill to go up. In addition, if someone from your family suffers from allergies changing the filter helps clean the air in your house.

Clean your ducts.
• Your HVAC system is the lungs of your home, it allows air in and out of your house. Dirty ducts can compromise the air quality that your family breaths, increase your electricity bill, and decrease the lifespan of your HVAC system.

Clean chimney.
• A clean chimney can be delightful on a chilly winter night, however it is very important to make sure that everything is in safe conditions beforehand. Residues like soot, creosote and glaze can cause major problems when lighting up your fireplace.

Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy your new home for the holidays. Take a moment to ensure that your home is ready for the winter weather and enjoy your new memories for years to come.