Fall in Missouri can be hot one day and freezing cold the next. It won't be long though until the cold settles in to stay. There are a few things that you should do to make sure your home is ready for that to happen. Our mid-Missouri renovation company has made a list for you in today's blog. Some of these things were suggested in our Get Your Home Ready For Fall Weather blog, but just in case you missed doing them before now, they are worth mentioning again.
Inspect Your Heating System
Make sure that your heating system is in good working condition now so that you don't have to suffer any extremely cold nights waiting for someone to have time to come out and fix it later. If you will be using a fireplace, start stocking up on wood and have a professional clean the chimney before you begin using it.
Weatherize
Doors and windows need to be checked for drafts, and any damaged caulk should be replaced. You will also want to make sure that there is no insulation missing from where it should be. Both of these things will keep the cold air out and the heat in, plus it will keep your energy bills lower.
Have a Pest Plan
Cold weather causes bugs, rodents, and other creepy crawlies to seek warmth and shelter inside your home. Make sure that the places you don't spend a lot of time in, like the attic, an unfinished basement, or crawl spaces, don't have any spots where these creatures can sneak in. If so, get them sealed up right away.
Check Your Pipes
Water needs to be drained out of all of the pipes on the outside of your house so that it doesn't freeze during the cold weather. The ice can expand to the point that the pipes will burst, causing water leaks and big problems. Also, drain and put away hoses so that they will be in good shape when spring rolls around and you need them again.
Check the Gutters... Again
As we've mentioned before, due to all of those falling leaves this time of year, your gutters will need to be cleaned out at least a few times, possibly a lot more depending on where you live. Anything left in your gutters can cause blockage, and in the winter ice and snow can turn into ice dams, expand, and damage the gutters which could mean water damage to your home later on.
Reverse Ceiling Fans
Hot air rises, and if you set your ceiling fan to turn clockwise at a low speed during cold months it will pull the cool air up. This updraft, in turn, will also push the warm air down and throughout the room. In the warmer months, a counter-clockwise direction pushes the cooler air down to the floor.
Check Smoke Detectors
You are going to be spending a lot more time inside the house once the weather gets cold, so you want to make sure it is safe to spend all of that time in. Test the smoke detectors to make sure they are working properly. Actually, you really should do that once a month. Batteries should be changed every time daylight savings time occurs. No particular reason, but if you relate those two things with each other it just makes it easier to remember to do it.
Taking care of those tasks will help to keep your house warm and cozy all winter long. If you do run across any problems while you are going down this checklist, give the experts at Midwest Renovation a call at 1-866-230-5415 and let us help you out. We will make sure any necessary repairs or updates are taken care of in a timely, cost-efficient, and professional way so that your home is ready for anything and will last a long, long time.
Inspect Your Heating System
Make sure that your heating system is in good working condition now so that you don't have to suffer any extremely cold nights waiting for someone to have time to come out and fix it later. If you will be using a fireplace, start stocking up on wood and have a professional clean the chimney before you begin using it.
Weatherize
Doors and windows need to be checked for drafts, and any damaged caulk should be replaced. You will also want to make sure that there is no insulation missing from where it should be. Both of these things will keep the cold air out and the heat in, plus it will keep your energy bills lower.
Have a Pest Plan
Cold weather causes bugs, rodents, and other creepy crawlies to seek warmth and shelter inside your home. Make sure that the places you don't spend a lot of time in, like the attic, an unfinished basement, or crawl spaces, don't have any spots where these creatures can sneak in. If so, get them sealed up right away.
Check Your Pipes
Water needs to be drained out of all of the pipes on the outside of your house so that it doesn't freeze during the cold weather. The ice can expand to the point that the pipes will burst, causing water leaks and big problems. Also, drain and put away hoses so that they will be in good shape when spring rolls around and you need them again.
Check the Gutters... Again
As we've mentioned before, due to all of those falling leaves this time of year, your gutters will need to be cleaned out at least a few times, possibly a lot more depending on where you live. Anything left in your gutters can cause blockage, and in the winter ice and snow can turn into ice dams, expand, and damage the gutters which could mean water damage to your home later on.
Reverse Ceiling Fans
Hot air rises, and if you set your ceiling fan to turn clockwise at a low speed during cold months it will pull the cool air up. This updraft, in turn, will also push the warm air down and throughout the room. In the warmer months, a counter-clockwise direction pushes the cooler air down to the floor.
Check Smoke Detectors
You are going to be spending a lot more time inside the house once the weather gets cold, so you want to make sure it is safe to spend all of that time in. Test the smoke detectors to make sure they are working properly. Actually, you really should do that once a month. Batteries should be changed every time daylight savings time occurs. No particular reason, but if you relate those two things with each other it just makes it easier to remember to do it.
Taking care of those tasks will help to keep your house warm and cozy all winter long. If you do run across any problems while you are going down this checklist, give the experts at Midwest Renovation a call at 1-866-230-5415 and let us help you out. We will make sure any necessary repairs or updates are taken care of in a timely, cost-efficient, and professional way so that your home is ready for anything and will last a long, long time.
One call does it all!
