Winterizing Your Home – Part 1

Now is a good time to start winterizing  your home, especially while the weather is descent to work in. Your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip top shape to survive the winter. 1 – Have an HVAC professional inspect and clean your furnace. Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly. 2 – If you have a fireplace get it cleaned and cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out birds and rodents. Most important, stock up on firewood. 3 – Check the exterior, doors and windows, weather-strip and caulk around them where needed. Check around your foundation. Switch screens for storm windows. 4 – Inspect roofs, gutters and downspouts. Replace any worn roof shingles and clean out the gutters and downspouts. You may want to install extensions to the downspouts to direct water away from your foundation. 5 – Service weather specific equipment: Drain gas from the mower, replace worn rakes and snow shovels, store your gardening equipment in a dry place and stock up on plenty of ice melt. To be continued tomorrow.