Autumn is a great time of year to complete several property maintenance and get your property prepped for winter. Winter weather can be damaging. These pre-winter property maintenance to-dos may help reduce damage from the winter and improve its safety.
Pre-winter Property Maintenance To-dos
Inspect Exterior Features
The outside of a property is put through the most difficult conditions during winter. Inspect your roof for any chipped shingles and repair or replace as necessary. Look for gaps in the siding as this might present a problem. Unclog and fix gutters. Also think about extending downspouts to push water away from your property. These are some important areas of your property to inspect and address issues prior to winter.
Winterize Water Pipes
Your property likely has a few exterior water pipes such as a sprinkler system and exterior faucets. These should be emptied to prevent them from freezing and bursting in frigid temperatures. For faucets, turn interior shut off valves and release any water remaining. If you are not handy with Sprinkler systems, you should hire a company to complete the winterization.
Fire Safety
As you heat your home through winter, you raise the danger of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. To reduce the danger, have heating equipment inspected and cleaned regularly. This includes fuel burning heating systems, fireplaces, and wood stoves. Also test and replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Lastly, make sure fire extinguishers have not expired. These are all critical safety measures to complete annually.
Stop Heat Loss
Securing your property can preserve heating expenses during the winter. Eliminate gaps along windows and replace seals around doors as needed. Also search for openings around pipes.
Additional Things to Get Your Property Prepped For Winter
There are many additional ways to get your property prepped for winter. Other than identifying appropriate repairs, it is important to store your furniture and equipment in a safe place away from snow and ice. Think about lawn mowers, outdoor furniture, decorative pieces, pots, etc. Also remember what was problematic last year. Address those things now to minimize the chances of a repeat. Lastly, complete a check of your equipment and supplies. Make sure everything is in sufficient working condition. Also, track down snow shovels and winter clothing. We hope that you found these pre-winter property maintenance to-dos useful.