With winter on its way, now is the time to take action. Prepare for the changing season with a winterreadiness checklist in today’s Angie’s List report.
As temperatures drop and the leaves fall, it’s time to make sure your home is ready to keep you warm and dry in the months ahead. Cross these items off your to-do list and rest easy that your house is in good shape.
“Check your gutters one last time before winter. Most basement water problems are the result of clogged gutters so you want to make sure any last-minute leaves didn’t fall, lurking to cause a problem,” warns Angie Hicks, Co-Founder of Angie’s List.
She also advises doing a quick check inside your home to help avoid another water disaster: frozen pipes.
“Check insulation. Check the insulation in your attic and make sure you have an adequate amount and add more if necessary. Also check around pipes. Adding insulation can help you avoid a burst pipe and many headaches down the road.”
Plan ahead to stay warm, whether you have a furnace or fireplace.
“Make sure your filters are changed. That may be something that you do or that your service provider does on a scheduled basis. When it comes to fireplaces, nobody knows fireplaces better than a pro, such as a chimney sweep or somebody who specializes in those things. Make sure they’re good so you know that the coming winter, you don’t have to worry about anything,” suggests Randy King, an Indianapolis area handyman.
Last on the checklist: Don’t forget to pay a little attention to your yard, too.
“Trim your trees. Make sure branches are away from your house. You don’t want to run the risk of a racoon family taking up residence in your attic to stay warm,” explained Hicks.
Want more info on preparing for winter?
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/winter-home-safety-preparation-tips.htm
https://www.angieslist.com/articles/angies-list-guide-winter-maintenance.htm