Don’t wait until the weather turns cold to make sure your home is ready for winter. Follow the five maintenance suggestions from Annapolis Property Services to ensure you are prepared.
1. Put away your garden hoses
Remove garden hoses from outdoor faucets, drain, and store in a shed or garage. Leaving hoses attached can cause water to back up in the faucets and in the plumbing pipes just inside your exterior walls. If freezing temps hit, that water could freeze, expand, and crack the faucet or pipes. Don’t forget to turn off any outdoor shutoff valves. That way, you’ll guard against minor leaks that may let water enter the faucet.
2. Winterize your sprinkler system
Drain your irrigation system or have it professionally done. Even buried irrigation lines can freeze, leading to burst pipes and broken sprinkler heads.
3. Clean the gutters
Clogged rain gutters can cause ice dams. After the leaves have fallen, clean your gutters to remove leaves, twigs, and gunk. Make sure gutters aren’t sagging and trapping water; tighten gutter hangers and downspout brackets.
4. Seal cracks
Seal up cracks between trim and siding, around window and door frames, and where pipes and wires enter your house with caulk. This will prevent moisture from getting inside your walls and help with your energy bills.
5. Make sure you fireplace is safe
To make sure your fireplace is safe, grab a flashlight and look up inside your fireplace flue to make sure the damper opens and closes properly. You should be able to see daylight at the top of the chimney. If you can’t see the light then it is time to call a chimney sweep as chances are you have an obstruction such as birds’ nests, branches and leaves.
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