With the weather turning colder, you may be thinking about those cozy fall things; pumpkin pie, apple cider, your favourite sweater, and curling up by a warm fire. But it’s also time to start thinking about getting your home ready for winter, so you don’t end up with any uncomfortable surprises in the spring.
Here are a few routine maintenance checks you should do before the first big snowfall to prevent damage to your home and your wallet.
Outside
- Take a walk around and inspect the exterior of your home – you’re looking for anything that needs painting, patching, or repairing. You’ll want to seal up any cracks and gaps you find to reduce the flow of cold air in, and warm air out.
- Contact providers of insulation products and change the insulation system of the house to make sure it runs smoothly all through the winter.
- Clean your gutters! Build-up in your gutters can cause ice dams and that can lead to expensive repairs. With the help of plumbing contractors, get a complete clean up and remove any leaves, twigs, and gunk. You’ll also want to check that nothing is sagging or trapping water.
- Inspect your roof. Look for signs of minor damage, like missing, broken, cracked, or curling shingles or anywhere there’s a bare spot. You’ll want to repair things now, before they get worse later.
- Stow your mower. This means either removing all the gas or adding a fuel stabilizer to prevent the gas from degrading. Just run the mower for a few minutes to make sure it reaches the carburetor.
Inside
- Have your heating system inspected and serviced. You should also change your furnace filters. It’s handy to keep extras around so you can change the filters every few months.
- Apply weather stripping to create an airtight seal. You can put this at any joints where two surfaces meet – like windows and doors – or on pipes, wiring, or vents that enter and exit your home.
- If you have older windows in your home, consider using a window insulation kit. These simple kits require only a hairdryer and a pair of scissors, and make a big difference on that cold air draft you feel.
Getting in the habit of doing these quick maintenance checks every fall is an easy way to stay comfortable in the winter and protect yourself from bigger problems later on. Of course, you’ll also want to make sure your home is properly protected with the right insurance policy.
Contact one of our agents or brokers today to see how Lambton Mutual can keep your home, and its contents, safe year-round.