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Winter home maintenance tips

Winter is in full swing around here, and although we haven’t had much bad weather yet (knock on wood!), it is always helpful to be prepared. Here are a few tips to keep your home running smoothly throughout the winter season. Stay warm and toasty inside!

 

Check your gutters
Make sure to take a look at your gutters if you haven’t done so already. Clearing out leaves and debris will make things easier once we get hit with a winter storm! Ice dams can occur in clogged gutters and prevent snow from properly draining off your roof. This can hurt both your roof and siding.

Consider a roof rake
Is there a big storm on the horizon? Snow can sit for days on your roof if temperatures stay below freezing, so purchasing a roof rake might be a great option. A roof rake will allow you to push snow off your roof from the ground. Here are some options.

Watch your trees
Does your home have large trees surrounding it? Always keep an eye on them, as branches can easily snap when covered with heavy snow, and cause damage your home! Try to remove snow from your branches to make things easier on yourself.

Make sure your pipes are ready
Take a few precautions so your pipes don’t burst this winter! If you haven’t already, you’ll want to turn off the water to outdoor spigots and drain the lines. Wrapping exposed pipes with foam insulation can be helpful as well. On a really cold day, you may want to leave your faucet on a trickle so water keeps moving and helps prevent it from freezing.

Replace your furnace filters
Be sure to replace your furnace filters every three months to keep it running efficiently (and your home toasty). You don’t want to have furnace issues in the winter!

Clean your fireplace
Residue and debris (including birds’ nests) can build up over time so it is best to make sure to clean your fireplace before turning it on for the first time during the cold months. After all, winter is the perfect time to curl up in front of the fireplace with a cup of cocoa.

Prepare for a power outage
Hopefully this won’t happen too frequently, but having supplies on hand will be super helpful if your power goes out. If you don’t have a back-up generator, be sure to have extra flashlights and batteries on hand. Blankets, bottled water and non-perishable food are all must haves. See additional tips from the American Red Cross here.

Let us know if we can recommend a contractor to assist you with some of these tasks, or if we help you prepare your home for sale this winter. After all, homes do sell in the winter and we would be happy to share our Winter Specific marketing plan with you!

Call us anytime at 703-822-0207 or e-mail us at [email protected]

 

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