Home Maintenance Tips to Prepare Your Home for Cold Weather

By Mark Spain Real Estate

As we swap out our swimsuits for sweaters and trade in popsicles for pumpkin bread, it can be easy to forget about the effects that the mild weather and cool temperatures have on homes. Get your home in the perfect shape for colder weather and check out our top preventative home maintenance tips to tackle now.

Check Your Heating System and Home Maintenance

In a few weeks time your heating system will be working to keep you and your family warm, so now is a great time to double check that your heating system is working efficiently. Take some time to wipe down your system of any dust or debris. Cleaning the vents around your home will help heat flow more efficiently around your home as well. Afterwards, consider turning on your heating system and letting it run for about 10 minutes. This will guarantee that your system is producing heat, and that you don’t see or smell any smoke. These simple steps will help to ensure that your family is warm during those colder months, while also saving you a few bucks!

Stock Up on Firewood

If you enjoy chopping your own stash of firewood each year, now is a great time to get started! Get a head start by starting to make a pile of firewood, but make sure that you store it away from moisture! A shed or the garage are two great places to store firewood and ensure that it doesn’t get wet. If you keep your firewood outdoors, make sure to to keep your pile at least 20 feet from your home. Firewood is a favorite spot for critters and termites, so you want to check on your firewood pile regularly to ensure that you don’t have a pest problem declining your home maintenence.

Fortify Your Fireplace

The fall and winter months are where your fireplaces become functional and not just added decor. Most likely, you haven’t used your fireplace for months, and it’s a good idea to make sure that everything is safe and working well while checking home maintenance. Check your fireplace and chimney for any damage to avoid permanent harm to your fireplace. Make sure to also clean out your wood-burning fireplace so there isn’t an excess of ash and charcoal, a potential danger and mess to your home.

Prep Your Plumbing

The first freeze can wreak havoc on your home if you’re not properly prepared and up to date with home maintenance. Avoid any leaks or damage from a freeze by prepping the pipes in your home. As we move into fall and winter, go ahead and put away those outdoor hoses and sprinklers. To avoid any busted or broken pipes, drain your outdoor pipes and shut off valves and faucets. Complete these tasks early on to help protect your home from any costly leaking and water damage down the road.

Prepare for Pests

Critter are looking to seek shelter from the cold weather during the winter, similarly to seeking cold during the summer. Protect your home from pests by scanning around your home and property for any holes or cracks. You can easily seal small holes or cracks yourself with spray foam. For more heavy duty critter control, consult with an exterminator.

Cross these home maintenance tasks off your to-do list this season, and you’ll be well on your way to a warm and comfortable winter.

Check out our blog for more tips and tricks!

Mark Spain Real Estate is actively searching for new and dedicated individuals who are yearning to learn and grow daily and sell real estate in this ever-growing industry in Charlotte! If you lead with a servant’s heart and want to be apart of this Mark Spain family, contact us today!