Tips that you can use to winterize your home this winter!

Leaves are falling, winds are blowing and temperatures are dropping – winter is upon us! Here are a few tips to help ensure that your home is ready for the new season.

1. Drains and gutters: Inspect the discharge basins to make sure that there is no build up. Clean out gutters and test downspouts or splash block water flow direction. No one wants them to drain towards the house!

2. Insulation: Keep the warm inside your house in three steps.

• Add additional attic insulation if the ceiling joists are visible. We don’t want your heating bills to go through the roof!
• Seal up cracks around windows, on perimeter walls and at electrical outlets. This will prevent warm air from leaking out and cold air from creeping in.
• Replace old windows that rattle and the wind blows through with insulated glass windows. The windows can be expensive, so planning may be required. Another option is window insulation kits that contain plastic sheeting to cover the window.

3. Pipes: To keep your pipes from freezing, be sure to wrap, turn off or insulate. For further instructions, click here. If you find a pipe that is already frozen or if a pipe becomes frozen, turn off the pipe, open the faucet, heat the frozen pipe, and then check for leaks.

4. Solar Panels: Flush your solar panels to remove dust, pollen or leaves with a water hose from the ground level.

5. Gardening: Look for settling of backfill soils and fill in where needed. Maintain positive drainage away from homes.

6. Fireplace: If you use your fireplace frequently, take a look in the flue for buildup that would need to be cleared out. Professional service recommended for large buildup.

7. Heating System: After all this work to winterize your home, make sure that you are getting the best performance from your heating system. It’s a good idea to have a professional come out and check the operations and to change your air filter.

We hope these tips help you keep your home warm this winter season. If services are needed, we recommend making arrangements now before the busiest part of the season arrives.

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Author: Paula De Young

The post It’s Time to Winterize – 7 Tips To Protect Your Home appeared first on De Young Properties.