Remember to Include These 4 Tasks on Your Winter Checklist This Year

The chill of winter isn’t too far away, which is why you need to attend to some last minute home maintenance tasks before it gets too cold outside. In addition to your usual fall cleanup and repairs, take time this season to prepare your home to be warm, safe and dry before the winter weather really hits in full force.

Here are some essential tasks that should take priority in the coming weeks.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Testing

It’s the season that your furnace is working its hardest and you likely have your fireplace going more often as well. That means the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning increases.

It is crucial for your family’s safety, along with protecting your home and your belongings that you have reliable smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Test the units and put in new batteries. Remove the caps and vacuum out the inside, because spider webs, dust, and debris will gather over time and make your detectors less effective. On the same note, don’t paint overtop the detectors because it blocks the sensors.

De-Icing Solution

It gets cold enough here in Colonial Heights, VA on some winter days for a thin layer of ice to form on your driveways and walkways. This ice can be extremely dangerous and very slippery.

To prevent injury and plumbing system issues, stock up now on de-icing salt and store it on your front porch or next to your garage. A liberal application of the de-icer will break up the ice and give you the traction that you need.

Proper Ventilation

It’s important that your home stays reasonably dry this winter. That’s because you need your home to remain dry in order to heat evenly. You can accomplish this by having an exhaust fan draw moisture in and out of your home (i.e., bathrooms and the kitchen).

You need a little fresh air in your home over the winter too. Open windows a crack now and then for a few minutes to help with air circulation.

Proper Insulation

Did you know that you lose far more heat out of your walls then you do out of your windows and doors?

You need to have a thick layer of insulation to prevent heat loss. Most importantly, you need to make sure that the attic is insulated because heat is rising.

Inspect your attic and make sure that insulation is in place and is in good condition. If it is torn or wet, you’ll need to replace it.