How To Prep For The Winter Season

Cold fronts, foggy car windshields and longer nights. With the start of winter less than two weeks away, it’s time to begin preparing your home for the season.  

But, what tasks should be on your checklist? To help you get winter ready, we’ve put together a few of our top suggestions to add to your home maintenance list.

1. Cozy up your home. 🔥

If you haven’t yet, the time is here to switch on your furnace, AKA the heat! Before you do, make sure to check your smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and air filter (change the batteries and filter if needed). By turning your furnace on early, you can ensure everything is running properly–if it’s not, you’ll know to get it fixed before the colder temperatures arrive. Don’t forget to check for gaps of air in the doors/windows of your home & properly weatherproof them where necessary to keep the heat in and the cold out. Looking to stay extra cozy? Grab a soft seasonal throw and a warm beverage to relax on the couch with!

2. Clear the gutters. 🍂

Leaves, dirt, sticks…it all gets trapped in your gutters. Whether you choose to clean them out yourself or hire a professional, it’s important to get rid of the excess debris. By keeping them clear, you can decrease the risk of damage to your gutters (think about the added weight of all that debris), keep pests out and prevent water damage (*water damage can affect both the interior/exterior of your home and could even lead to foundation cracks*).

3. Reverse the ceiling fans. ◀️

This is a task many of us leave off the list in both the winter and the summer, either due to lack of convenience or simply questioning the point of it. But, if you’re looking to save money and energy, this is a must on your checklist! By running the fan on low speed in a clockwise position, the warm air (which naturally rises) will be pushed back down into the room. With more warm air to fill the space you’re occupying, you’ll be able to turn down the furnace a few degrees, which means less energy used and less money spent on the heating bill.

Now, that those tasks are done, it’s time to sit back and relax with a delicious, warm beverage in your hand!

Looking to cross off “buy a home” on your winter checklist? We’d love to help you! All it takes is 60 seconds to get started using our no-obligation home qualifier tool on the form on the right, or give us a call at (407) 330-7566.