Winter Home Maintenance

The first signs of winter bring with it either snowy excitement or weary sighs of annual winter home prep.  While white Christmases and snow angels bring warm thoughts of family time together sharing hot cups of cocoa and huddling around the fireplace, it is important to ensure that your home is prepared for the cold and wet season. This will prevent more concerns and worries when the snow thaws and another season rolls in.

You will need to make outdoor and indoor preparations to fortify your home during the winter. Below is a quick checklist of the things that must be considered and covered.

Outdoor checklist

1. Repair sidewalks, steps and driveways that are cracked and damaged to avoid ice buildup. You will need a snow shovel, salt and sand to keep the driveway from icing up and to make your driveway or pathway accident-free.
2. Rake and clean out leaves, twigs, and branches from your sidewalks and keep your gutters and roofs clean from leaves that may clog and clutter them. Keep your lawn mowers from rusting by cleaning them out and storing them away properly.
3. Clean and inspect your chimney to make sure there are no obstructions. Repair missing or damaged shingles on your roof. Chipped and peeling paint on your fences should be scraped off and touched up to protect them. Drain and store your garden hoses.
4. Prune your trees and shrubs of awkward branches that may be weighed down by ice and snow. You must also inspect your landscape and fencing to be certain that they won’t get in the way of your shovel and snow blower.
5. Clean and repair your gutters and drains.

Indoor checklist

1. Inspect and test fireplace and chimneys as well as your flues. If you must, call a professional chimney sweep for thorough cleaning and inspection. Test your heating system to make sure they’re all in good working order. Check your furnace filter and replace what needs replacing. Minimize dust buildup by cleaning out heating vents and ducts.
2. Inspect your electrical outlets, phone outlets and switch plates as well as power sources to make sure there are no air leaks.
3. Replace your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors with fresh batteries. Check and locate your fire extinguishers. Clean and inspect dryer hoses and exterior dryer vents. Make sure your air ducts are clear from obstruction. Call for professional help if necessary.
4. Switch to warmer layers of beddings like replacing cotton sheets with flannels.
5. Install additional insulation in your attic, basement, storage areas and crawlspaces to minimize heat loss.  Make sure your attic is getting fresh air and keep an eye out for any sign of condensation.

Automobile checklist

1. Replace your tires with snow tires if applicable. Snow chains must be ready and within reach for use when necessary.
2. Check your car battery and anti freeze levels. Extra windshield wiper fluid may come in handy so store a bottle of that in your trunk along with some nonperishable foods, a can opener, flashlights, batteries, water and some salt, sand and snow shovel. For those who live in extreme winter conditions, stock up on some warm blankets, ice scraper, jumper cables, first aid kit and some sand or kitty litter to help your tires gain traction on the road.

It may seem a little extreme, but have your family sit down and discuss escape routes and meeting places in the event of any danger or mishap. Prevention is better than the cure and it truly is better to be safe than sorry. Preparation is never a waste of time.

If you can make the time and put in the effort to go over this basic checklist, chances of your family enjoying the winter season without cause for worry are good to excellent.

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