If your goal is to keep the utility bills down during the winter and keep your house well-maintained, here is the list of five winter home maintenance tips that you should ideally do before the first snow kicks in. And we aren’t only talking about installing a budget-friendly inverter Heat Pump, but there is so much more that needs to be done.
Read on to learn more!
Check Your Insulation
Besides checking your boiler, if it needs boiler servicing, you will need to check your attic insulation as well. Checking your insulation is very important – as heat rises, the insulation will keep the heat trapped inside your house and eventually save you loads of money on those energy bills.
By checking your insulation, you can also prevent loads of other problems. For instance, if the heat escapes into the attic, it can cause the snow to melt, which in turn can cause the melted snow to get into the shingles, which can then refreeze and cause damage.
That said, checking your attic insulation should preferably be done before the first snow kicks in.
Insulate Your Basement
This tip is also linked to the first tip. Assess your basement for any areas that need insulation to save heat from escaping out between any potential cracks. Also, if there are water pipes in the basement, make sure to insulate them. Frozen water can clog the pipes and even cause the pipes to burst, which can cost you loads of money. That said, prevention is better than cure.
Reverse Ceiling Fans
Next up on our winter home maintenance tips list is to reverse your ceiling fans. Many of you wouldn’t even know that reversing ceiling fans is possible. Here is what happens when you reverse the ceiling fans during the colder season: heat rises, and when the ceiling fans are reversed, you can make sure that the warm air gets stuck at the top and is circulated through the rest of your room.
This is also an essential hack to make the most of the heat trapped inside and save loads of money on the side that could have gone to the utility bills.
Remove the Hoses Outside
If you leave the hoses connected, they will freeze, and you will have to cut them off. Also, since you will be spending most of your time inside near the fire, we recommend taking off the bibs and turning off the water to the outside spigot to prevent the water from freezing there.
Clear the Gutters
The gutters need to be cleaned in the summer, and the winter, especially after the leaves have fallen in the autumn season. The gutters can get all jammed up with leaves and debris, and if not removed, the leaves and debris can freeze and eventually damage your gutters. Besides, the weight from the frozen leaves, debris, and snow can pull the gutters away from your house, and before you know, you are dealing with an even bigger problem. That said, clearing the gutters is a must-do activity.
