Although we might have a few days of warm weather left in Chester County, essentially winter is upon us. Check out these five tips to ensure that your home is ready for the upcoming frigid temperatures.
- Check your gutters
An easy way to get ice damage to your home is by not cleaning the debris out of your gutters. You can always hire a gutter cleaning service or handyman to do this for you, but the process itself is actually pretty simple if you have a ladder tall enough to reach your roof.
2. Have your HVAC system inspected
Nothing is worse than your heat going out on the first cold night of the season. Not only will you be cold and uncomfortable you could be forking over a lot more cash to fix it after the fact than if you had gotten it inspected previously. Do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and be one step ahead!
3. Check your Pipes
Another frequent occurrence during the winter months is frozen, burst pipes. An easy way to ensure your pipes do not freeze when temperatures get below 32 degrees Fahrenheit is to keep a small stream of water running through them. If your pipes are located under a cabinet (such as in the kitchen) open the cabinet doors so that heat can reach the pipes.
4. Test your smoke detectors
Statistically, more house fires occur in the winter months. This can be due to fireplaces or malfunctioning heating devices. It is important to replace all batteries and make sure all of your smoke detectors are working properly.
5. Keep the Yard Tidy
Clearing your trees of any dead limbs (especially ones near your house) will help ensure that they won’t fall during a potential ice storm and cause any damage to your property.
We hope you stay safe and cozy this winter season! How will you be winterizing your home this year?