Clean Chimneys, Furnaces and Gutters, Caulk Windows, and more
By Mark J. Donovan
|
|
With the kids now back in school and fall just about upon us, it is now a great time of the year to winterize your home for the coming winter months.
Check the Roof It is important that you go up on your roof (or a professional) and inspect it for loose roof shingles and ridge vents. If you find loose shingles and/or ridge vents, it is important to replace them to prevent any water damage or ice damage. Also, if your ridge vent requires additional roofing nails, make sure you cover them with roofing tar to prevent any water leaks. |
It is important that the cracks around the windows are sealed with a good flexible caulk. Make sure the caulk around your home’s windows and doors is still forming a tight seal. If the caulk is old and brittle, and separating between the siding and windows and doors, then remove it and replace it with a fresh exterior grade caulk. Un-caulked doors and windows are one of the main culprits for air infiltration.
Also, if you have storm windows that need to be installed, this is a perfect time of the year to install them.
| Clean Chimney Flues
Have a chimney sweep clean your home’s chimney flues. Creosol can build up in the chimney flues, due to burning wood, leaving your home susceptible to chimney fires. Also, make sure the chimney sweep checks for cracks in the chimney flues. Again, chimney flue cracks can also cause chimney fires. Clean Home Furnaces Make sure you have your home’s furnace system cleaned and checked by a professional. The furnace professional should replace all necessary filters and adjust the burners to maximize your furnace’s energy efficiency. |
 |
He should also check for any leaks around the furnace duct work that could potentially lead to fire or carbon monoxide dangers.
| Clean up around the Lawn
Drain all lawn hoses and store them inside the home. Hoses left outside could be damaged during the winter months due to water in them freezing. Also, store any outside lawn furniture in the home. Wrap Water Heater in Insulation Wrapping your water heater in insulation can save you some significant money. |
  |
Clean Gutters
Make sure your home’s gutters are clean and free from leaves and other debris. If left with leaves and debris, the gutters will back up with snow and ice, which can lead to the gutters tearing away from the home.
Remove Portable Air Conditioners from Windows
With the heat of the summer behind us, it is also good idea to remove portable air conditioner systems from the Windows.
With these items addressed, your home should be ready for the winter ahead.
Want to Build Your Own Home, see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Home Addition Bid Sheets. Our Home Addition Bid Sheets provide you with the knowledge and information on how to plan a home building project, and what to look for when hiring contractors. They also include detailed cost breakdown tables and spreadsheets for estimating your own new home construction building costs.
Related Information
- Winterizing a Vacation Home
- How to Insulate Electrical Outlets and Switches
- How to Install Door and Window Foam Weatherstripping
Free Home Addition Price Quotes with No Obligation!
Fill out our 3-5 minute quick and easy form, and receive a free price quote on a house addition from one of our prescreened and licensed home addition contractors. This process is free and there is no obligation to continue once you receive your home addition price estimate.