A few areas need to be winterized to make the snowy and icy conditions less stressful. Focus on your house’s exterior, interior, and garage.
Your home’s exterior:
- Clean the gutters so ice dams don’t form and cause damage.
- Replace cracked caulk around roof vents and the chimney.
- Install a chimney cap to keep critters and objects from dropping in. A cap will also keep rainwater from dripping down into the fireplace.
- Rake away debris and weeds from the foundation and seal any cracks.
In the house:
- Get the furnace checked and the central air conditioning unit winterized simultaneously.
- Be sure the fireplace damper isn’t open unless you make a fire.
- Woodstoves should have glass doors that are closed when the stove is not in use.
- Install socket sealers over unused electrical outlets on outside walls and reverse ceiling fans so they push warm air forward and force it to circulate.
In the garage:
- Clear enough space to put your car inside on frigid nights.
- Make sure that you have enough windshield wiper fluid on hand.
- Check your snow blower and generator to be sure that they run. It’s wise to have extra fuel on hand.
- Buy a new snow shovel if you need one and have a bag of ice-melt on hand.
These simple tasks will make your winter a little easier. On that note: let Housekeeping Associates make your winter a little easier by using our gutter cleaning services now. Please contact us for a FREE Estimate.
