Getting Ready for Winter – Some Tips to Prepare your Home

 Yes, It’s early Fall – but Winter is coming quickly… and  it’s never too early to start preparing for winter. Your home has needs that must be met before the winter sets in upon us and the tasks, fixes, and services will become that much harder to perform later.

At Checkup Property Inspections, we wanted to give some on the ways in which you can begin preparing for winter and get your house in the best situation as possible to deal with whatever elements a potential  harsh Colorado season may throw at us.

Be Sure to Service Your Home’s Heating And Air Conditioning Systems – before it’s too late.

It seems like something everyone would automatically do- but you would be surprised at how many who do not take this step. You truly do NOT want to find yourself during a snowy cold winter day, discovering that your heating system not work.

Imagine this, your family is over for a holiday dinner, and the heating system shuts down completely. It’s 20 degrees outside at 7 pm, and you have no heat. It’s the holiday season – and you are stuck in a horrible situation.Avoid the stress, and the lofty emergency service bill by simply having your heating system inspected before the winter cold sets in.

Most residential heating systems will last anywhere from 10-20 years. This vast spread in expected lifespan has to do with how well maintained the heating systems are. At the bare minimum, you’ll want to have your filters changed in your HVAC system. But, it’s best to have an HVAC inspector come and run diagnostics on the system to ensure that it will last through another winter. This is the very first precaution you should take when preparing for winter.

If you have a Chimney, be sure to have the Chimney cleaned well before winter sets in.

Hire a professional chimney sweep to remove pine needles, leaves, and animal nests from your chimney. He or she will also inspect the chimney, looking for cracks in the mortar and damaged bricks. A chimney clogged with debris becomes a fire risk when you put your fireplace to use.

Check Your Fire and Carbon Monoxide Detectors.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that over 52,000 fires in the past 10 years were caused by heating equipment. As the weather gets colder and more heating equipment is used in the winter months, all fire detectors must be working properly. Replace fire alarm batteries when the units begin to chirp. And replace any fire detectors that are more than ten years old.

The CDC also estimates that at least 430 people die in the U.S each year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s just as important to replace and keep your CO detectors up to date. When home heating systems are on for extended hours in the winter, the risk of CO poisoning increases.

Gutters and Drainage – Preparing for Winter Outside the Home.

It is always suggested in the late fall to make sure your home’s gutters and drainage systems are clear of debris and fallen leaves. If your gutters are full of waste going into the winter, they may not drain properly, which can lead to water pooling and overflowing.

When water overflows from your gutters it can get into your roof or even cause issues for your home’s foundation. While cleaning out your gutter for the last time of the season, also check how your drainage systems are functioning. 

If the water around your gutter’s downspouts is pooling close to your home, the saturated soil could become a big problem in the winter.

Saturated soil that sits too close to the foundation can freeze and thaw throughout the winter, creating hazardous conditions for your home’s foundation.

Inspect the Roof to Prepare Your Home for Winter.

Visually inspect the roof and look for broken flashing around the chimney and vents. If you find problems, hire a roofing professional to replace any missing or loose shingles so snow and ice won’t cause water damage to your home.

Protect Entryways to your home for Winter.

Place doormats on the outside and inside of entrance doors so that mud, snow, and salt doesn’t damage your floors. Use a shoe cabinet or shelves and remove footwear when you come into the house. Install hooks so there is space to hang wet hats, jackets, gloves, and scarves at the entryway.

Check All of the Trees Near  Your House before Winter – assume nothing.

Trees help make a home look wonderfully comforting and add curb appeal to a home. But sometimes, homeowners do not pay enough attention to the trees on their property, and their house can end up suffering for it.

Sick trees or even healthy trees that are in too close in proximity to your home can fall and cause significant damage during the harsh months of winter.

Go around your yard and look for trees that are sickly, elderly, or too close to your home. Hire a tree and landscaping professional to access whether the tree is jeopardizing the well-being of your home. Remove any trees that may cause issues over the winter.

Preparing for winter means taking precautionary measures for what COULD happen, not necessarily will happen.

When it comes to a tree crushing your roof, car, or in the worst-case scenario, injuring a family member, it’s always better to have a tree removed or trimmed before winter sets in.

Be Prepared – and don’t let the Winter sneak up on you.

Preparing for winter is all about saving yourself trauma and headaches. It’s much easier to deal with issues in the warmer months than in the cold and unforgiving months of winter.

Checkup Property Inspections provides Residential Home Inspections, Mold Testing, Radon Testing, Sewer Scope Inspections, & Water Quality Testing in Castle Rock, Parker, Littleton, Denver, and the surrounding areas. We also can provide well inspections, well flow tests, and potability tests.

All of our inspectors are certified by InterNACHI, the leading home inspection association. We hold each of our inspectors to the highest inspection standards, which are derived from each home inspection association or state standards.

Our promise to you – we will inspect your home as if it were going to be ours. We strive to uphold our reputation for excellent and timely service, high-detail inspection services, and delivering you a home inspection report that gives you the insights you need to make a smart decision.

Reach out to Checkup Property Inspections today.

Call 720-751-7121 to schedule an inspection or book online.