5 Home Features That Might Need Maintenance During the Winter
When winter comes, the first thing at the back of our minds is how to put up our Christmas decorations. While this is a fun thing to do, we tend to forget the essentials of preparing for winter. You need to ensure that your home can weather the storm. There are some features you need to look into and take care of before winter.
Drainage and Gutters
Winter often comes with increased rainfall, which can flood if your drainage is not clear. Cleaning the gutter can be disgusting, but you will be glad you did it when the rain comes and there is no water flooding your home. Start at the rooftop and check if any leaves are blocking the gutters. Once you get rid of all these, you can then go into the drainage and clean them out. Once you have cleaned out the leaves and debris that might be left behind, get a hose and spray down your gutters. The water flow will let you know if any areas still need fixing. It is advisable to do this before the cold sets in because everything will have frozen over, and you will be stuck with a clogged drainage system.
Seal Your Doors and Windows
While you might have heating in your home, it will not work if you have cold air coming in from the outside. Inspect all your doors and windows and see how far they close. If you notice a space bigger than the width of a nickel, then you need to seal the space. A big space will mean that cold air will be coming in. While your heating might be up to date, you will use more energy to warm the room up. The best way to deal with this is, seal up the open areas on your doors and windows. Ask the local hardware store about the weather stripping options and how to use them. You can also get a professional to install it for you, although that will cost you.
Check Your Heating
Ensure you do not go into the winter season if you have a faulty heating system. Many people have been known to freeze to death in the worst winters. Since there is no way to know whether the winter will be harsh, it helps if you are prepared in advance. Check your furnace to see if it is working and at optimal speeds. Especially if you live in some of the colder, remote areas, you should always make sure they are up to speed. Whether you need furnace repair in Ottawa or furnace installation services in Denver, getting a professional will ensure that the issues it has are all fixed.
Check Your Electrical System
If the electrical system is faulty, then there is a huge chance that the wires might trip in the winter. The only way to know if everything is okay is to schedule a maintenance check by the electrical company. Ensure the breaker wires are well insulated and there is no discoloration on these wires. It will also help if you can get a backup plan in case the electricity goes out. Check your generator to see if it has enough fuel. It will come in handy should the lights go out in a winter storm.
Bleed Your Radiators
To ensure your radiators run at full capacity, you need to bleed your radiators before winter. Doing this is simple, even if you have never done it before. All you need to do is turn your radiators at max temperature and let them stay there for a while. Turn off your central heating, then let the radiators cool. Put a tray under the bleed valve, then turn the valve while the radiator is off. Some liquid will be dispensed with hot air, so no need to worry. Once all the air leaves the radiator, close the valve. Check the pressure in the radiator to ensure that it is within the green zone in the manometer. Your radiator is now ready to run all winter.
Final Thoughts
Carrying out home maintenance checks is very vital before winter. It ensures that you can stay at home without worrying about anything breaking. The checks above are straightforward and will not cost much. Ensure you get professionals to help you with the checks to get everything done right.Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash