Welcome to part II of our series! Last week we gave you a few ideas on how to prepare your home for winter, today we continue that conversation. We believe in putting in the work now, so it will save you big headaches later! As your Columbus, Ohio remodeling company we want to be sure you all keep your homes in the best condition they can be!
Seal Gaps Where Critters Could Enter
Mice need only a tiny gap to be able to sneak into your house and raid your pantry — and with colder weather coming, all of the little critters out there will be looking for warm places to make a home. Fill small holes and cover any larger gaps securely with heavy-duty hardware cloth to keep the wildlife outdoors.
Check Walkways, Railings, Stairs and the Driveway for Winter Safety
When the landscape is covered in ice and snow, just walking from the driveway to the front door can be quite a challenge. Check that all stairs are in good shape and have sturdy railings, and that the driveway is in good repair to make for easier shoveling.
Stock up on Winter Supplies
Fall is the time to prepare. Check the condition of snow shovels and ice scrapers; replace as needed. Pick up a bag of pet-and plant-safe ice melt, if needed. If you use a snow blower, have it serviced and purchase fuel, so it is ready to go when needed!
Shut off Exterior Faucets and Store Hoses
Protect your pipes from freezing temperatures by shutting off water to exterior faucets before the weather dips below freezing. Drain hoses and store them indoors.
Add Weather Stripping
Weather stripping applied around the frames of windows and doors helps boost winter warmth and cut energy costs. Add door sweeps to the base of drafty doors to keep heat in and cold air out.
Clean Dryer Vents
Lint buildup in dryer vents can make your dryer work less efficiently and even cause a fire — cool, dry fall weather increases static electricity, which can ignite lint that has built up, so now is a key time to get that lint out. You can hire a duct cleaning specialist to clean the vents for you, or clean the vent yourself.
Schedule a Chimney Cleaning and Heating System Maintenance
Making sure your chimney and furnace are cleaned, maintained and in working order before you need to turn on the heat is an important safety measure. Be sure to add a chimney cap if you don’t already have one — it will stop critters from crawling down your chimney!
We hope you found some of these items helpful as we head into winter. We have a lot of experience repairing some of these issues that could have been prevented with some prior maintenance! We want to save you from wear and tear that isn’t necessary, that way you can save your home budget for something more fun! You know, like a big renovation that will take your home from good to great! We can help with that! Contact us to see what exactly we can do for your home.