With winter quickly approaching, you may be asking yourself what you must do around the house to keep your home in tip-top shape. We are here to help you create a checklist of 5 of the most important things that will help you enjoy your winter carefree.
Inspect Windows and Doors
Doors
Your doors are the entry to your home, and keeping unwanted cold, critters, and other things out is important for the winter months. Drafts due to bad seals are a common issue during the winter months and can raise your energy costs.
Check the seals around all your doors for drafts and that they are locking smoothly. If you find either of these things are happening, you can consider changing out the seals or locks themselves, but in more extreme cases, the entire door may need replacing. Don’t forget to include any glass doors and your garage door, too.
Windows
Condensation buildup on window glass, or if your windows are double-paned between the two panes, indicates some sealing issue. This can often be resolved by changing out the seals around the windows.
Like doors, ensure that they are closing and locking correctly, without an abundance of resistance.
If there is a draft coming from around the windows or if they aren’t closing properly, this may mean that it’s time to replace the windows. While this may seem daunting, it will save you tremendously in the long run on heating and cooling costs.
Check your Chimney
While it is more common to see forced air systems in Canadian homes, some homeowners might still have a chimney in their house. So it’s still important to clean the chimney thoroughly before the hardest parts of winter hits.
Safety must come first – and keeping your home and family safe from fire starts with a clean and well-maintained fireplace and chimney.
Roll a Gutter Ball
The beautiful changing leaves have not just fallen on the ground. Throughout the fall, all sorts of debris gather in your gutters. Clogged gutters can cause a plethora of issues, including leaks in your home and damage to your foundation.
Before the weather turns colder and wetter, make sure the debris is all cleaned out and water can run through those gutters free and clear.
Protect Outdoor Faucets
Protecting your outdoor faucets from a freeze may seem like it will just protect a small section of piping – but this isn’t the case. If your outdoor faucets are not properly protected, your pipes could split – all the way to your internal home plumbing.
To prevent costly water damage, you can drain your outdoor piping (where possible), install hose bibs, and/or purchase insulated covers for your outdoor faucets.
Check Smoke Detectors
With the time change just around the corner, it serves as a great reminder to check your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Changing out the batteries to make sure they are in fully functioning form helps keep your home safe and warm during the coming winter months.
If you have followed the above steps and still feel something is lacking with your windows and doors, you can contact our expert for a comprehensive inspection. Feel free to call us at Winnipeg: (204) 272-3725 or Toronto/GTA: (905) 326-3444 to schedule your free in-home estimate and to find out more about our professional installation services.