Keystone Blog
Taking care of your home during the winter is an important part of home ownership. With the right winter maintenance, you can improve your home's energy efficiency, protect your plumbing, and stay safe during cold weather. Of course, you should complete most of this maintenance in the fall so it's finished before cold temperatures arrive!
If you're a new homeowner, here's a list of winter home maintenance tasks you should review every year. These tasks are quick but effective, and you can likely do most of them on your own. For a few of these maintenance tasks, you'll need to call a professional. This winter home maintenance guide is divided into interior and exterior home tasks for easier planning and completion.
During the winter, temperatures drop, and your property faces unique risks. For example, if your heating system fails during the winter, your plumbing could freeze. The expanded water in the pipes could cause them to burst, leading to leaks. Homeowners also face a higher fire risk in the winter from using space heaters and electric holiday decorations indoors.
The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is also higher since homeowners use various heating appliances and keep their windows and doors closed. Outdoors, heavy snow and ice dams can damage your roof or gutter system. Snow can also cause tree branches to crack and fall, damaging whatever is under them.
To prepare your home for winter, check your heating system and carbon monoxide alarm batteries. Since you're spending more time indoors already, winter is also the perfect time of year to complete additional interior maintenance. Most of these tasks can be completed within 10-15 minutes, although several require a professional.
Keeping your home warm in the winter is important for your health and the health of your home. To care for your heating system, take the necessary steps to check on every major component. Have your chimneys professionally cleaned, and hire a professional to look at your heating system. You should also have your heating system checked at least once a year, and fall is the perfect time to do that. You should also dust your heating vents and replace any necessary filters in your heating system.
If you have a sump pump, you should ensure it's draining and working properly. Checking your sump pump can help prevent flooding when snow melts after the winter season. Additionally, look over joints in bathroom plumbing and use caulk to seal any leaks.
This is also a good opportunity to clean your kitchen plumbing — use ice to clean and sharpen your garbage disposal. Doing this monthly can help keep your disposal in good working order. You should also clean your sink traps before the winter. Over time, this U-shaped pipe can collect debris and may not work as well.
Check that your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detectors are working. You can test these devices according to the instructions that came with them — a quick online search can also help you identify whether they're working. If not, they may need batteries or to be replaced.
As part of checking alarm systems, you should also test the GFI circuits in your home. These are installed to help prevent electrocution and can be tested by pushing "reset," plugging a device in and then pushing the "test" button. If the device turns off, the circuit is working correctly. Be sure to reset the circuit after you test it.
During the winter, you may notice drafts in your home. As the temperatures drop, you can identify air leaks and seal them with caulking, weatherstripping or doorjambs. Most leaks occur around window and door frames, so they're easy to locate and fix.
Sealing leaks makes your home more comfortable, but it also increases your home's energy efficiency. The same thing is true of adding insulation — installing insulation to your attic ceiling or floor can increase your energy savings year-round. You may also want to add insulation to pipes that are exposed to cold temperatures.
When it's cold outside, you won't want to complete exterior home maintenance. By getting your home ready for winter in the fall, you can have peace of mind about its exterior until the weather warms up again. Follow these four steps to secure the outside of your home before winter.
It's important to clean your gutters and downspouts to help prevent blockages and ice damage. During the fall, gutters may become clogged with leaves and other debris. If water becomes trapped in your gutter system, it can freeze and cause your gutters to crack when temperatures drop.
Issues with your gutters and drainage can also lead to ice dams, a buildup of ice, and snow along the edge of your roof. This can push your gutters away from the roof, lead to leaking and put too much weight on your roof. To safely clean your gutters, you may need to hire a professional.
If you have an exterior hose, you should drain it before cold temperatures cause the trapped water to freeze and expand. If you don't, your hose may split, and you may have to purchase a new one next year. While you're draining the hose, you should also cover any external spigots.
Because these spigots aren't insulated, leaving them uncovered can allow cold air to enter your home's pipe system. Covering them helps protect your plumbing from freezing during the winter and can also increase your home's energy efficiency.
During heavy snow or winter storms, large tree branches may crack and break. You should trim tree branches so they don't damage your home, vehicle or anything else if they fall. Trimming trees away from your roof can also help reduce pest issues in the winter since pests use branches to reach your roof and upper floors.
For fire safety, you should also keep trees trimmed away from electrical wiring. This task usually requires hiring a professional to ensure the process is completed safely.
As it gets cold, pests may seek shelter inside your home. Whatever type of pest you're dealing with, they're after the same thing — food, water, and shelter. To help prevent pests, you can sign up for an annual pest control service.
Pest professionals will look over your home, ensure everything looks normal, and help you catch any pests before they cause extensive damage. You can add screens over vents and repair any exterior damage to siding or trim to ensure pests don't have easy access to the warmth and comfort of your home.
At Keystone Custom Homes, we help you build the home of your dreams. Our custom floorplans offer a range of interior and exterior finish options so you can design and enjoy a home that truly fits your lifestyle. Find the perfect fit in an area you love — we build communities throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina.
Our process starts with an appointment with a New Home Advisor. Next, our team will guide you through the design process, choosing the right finishes for your favorite floorplan. You can expect frequent communication throughout the construction phase, keeping you up-to-date until the day you move in.
Reach out to us today at 717-368-9831 to request an appointment and start your new home journey!
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