From Roof Rakes to Weather Stripping: 5 Tips To Maintain Your Home During Winter
There's more to winter home maintenance than keeping the driveway shoveled. Before you start cozying up with some hot cocoa, read our checklist to see if your home is good to go through the rest of the winter.
Stop Pipes From Freezing
Keep your heat set to above 55 degrees Fahrenheit/13 degrees Celsius if you plan on being out of the house, and be sure to turn off your outside water and disconnect your hose. Also, be sure to insulate pipes using one of several affordable options at your local hardware store.
If you're too late and your pipes have already frozen, try and keep warm air flowing into the area while the faucet is left open. If it's not budging, call a certified plumber.
Prevent Ice Dams
Ice Dams are something you may not be aware of until they're already happening. When snow melts off of your roof and gets stuck at the colder edges near your gutter, you could end up with permanent damage to your home.
Prevent them by removing debris and snow from the areas around your gutters and downspouts. This can be done easily using an affordable roof rake.
We're going to need a bigger roof rake
Winter Floor Care
With the driveway cleared and all the snow and ice safely outside, it's easy to forget about the traces of winter that make it into our homes. Road salt, slush, and dirt can easily be tracked into the home on boots and collect on vulnerable hardwood and carpet.
Be sure to protect your floors by using large enough mats on either side of entrances into your home, and clean under your inside mat when you vacuum. Boot trays inside of an entryway and a cheap brush on the outside are great ways to protect your floors as well.
What To Do If Cold Air Is Getting In
Cold drafts are the most common winter gripe since shoveling driveways, but they're also easy and affordable to fix.
Check weatherstripping on doors and windows where you feel a draft coming in, and be sure to do the same for any caulking on pipes and air vents leading to the outdoors.
If you still feel drafts coming in, you may need to check cracks in your foundation and grab a repair kit from your local hardware store.
Don't forget the trees on your property!
Prevent Falling Tree Branches
Many of us can remember ice storms where neighborhood trees had a rough time in severe temperatures. But there's a way to help prevent damage to your home and property after a snowstorm.
Don't shake trees after large snowfalls, as the branches may already be under stress. Instead, brush off snow within reach using a long handled broom or a roof rake. If limbs are already broken off and are hanging on the tree, safely remove them if possible using the aforementioned tool.
Interested in more Phelps Helps How-To articles? See the full list on our blog.
Original source: Huffington Post
