Get ready for winter and read these tips to winterize your home.

Furnace Tips to Winterize Your Home

Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts or do it yourself if you know how. Remove all flamable material that surrounds your furnace.

Fireplace

Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds. If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote. Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.

Doors, Windows & Exterior

Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them. Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.

Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

Replace worn roof shingles or tiles. Also, clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris. If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams. 

Foundations

Mice can slip through space as thin as a dime so make sure you seal any entry points where a small animal can crawl under the house. Also seal foundation cracks. Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation. Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.

Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Check your smoke detector batteries and replace if you did not do so during daylight savings time. It is a good idea to install a carbon monoxide detector near your furnace and / or water heater.  Also buy a fire extinguisher or replace an extinguisher old older than 10 years.

Prevent Plumbing Freezes

Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency. Be sure to drain all garden hoses. Insulate exposed plumbing pipes. Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off. If you go on vacation, leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.

Landscaping & Outdoor Surfaces

Trim trees if branches hang too close to the house or electrical wires. Ask a gardener when your trees should be pruned to prevent winter injury. Plant spring flower bulbs and lift bulbs that cannot winter over such as dahlias in areas where the ground freezes and move sensitive plants from the outdoor in. Seal driveways, brick patios and wood decks.

Emergency Kit

To be ready during a power shortage, buy indoor candles and matches / lighter. Store extra bottled water and non-perishable food supplies (including pet food, if you have a pet), blankets and a first-aid kit in a dry and easy-to-access location. Also, prepare an evacuation plan in the event of an emergency.

Posted by NMWelcomeHome Team Associates (505) 886-1432 on
Email Send a link to post via Email

Leave A Comment

e.g. yourwebsitename.com
Please note that your email address is kept private upon posting.