ResalesFall Maintenance Tips for a Smooth Winter
With fall here, it"s time once again to prep your home for the coming winter
months. No matter where you live, seasonal changes in temperature and
moisture levels will require special maintenance tasks.
What amounts to a couple weekend"s worth of work and perhaps an investment
in professional services may end up saving you money down the road.
"It is important to periodically monitor the overall condition of a home,"
says John Ghent, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors, a
non-profit professional organization for home inspectors. "Simple wear and
tear from weather and age occurs in every home. It is wise to fix any
problems before they lead to extensive and costly repairs."
And more importantly, routine maintenance could mean ensuring your family"s
safety when it comes to things like your heating appliances.
"Having a professional inspection of your fuel-burning heating appliances is
the first line of defense against the silent killer, carbon monoxide
poisoning," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be produced by burning
any fuel. The initial symptoms are flu-like, including headache, fatigue,
shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. Exposure to high levels of carbon
monoxide can cause death.
"Each year, CO poisoning from heating systems and water heaters kills about
160 people in the U.S.," said Stratton. "Many of these tragedies could be
prevented by having a professional check your heating system and water
heater annually for CO leaks."
Here"s a comprehensive list of the top chores to tackle before the weather
turns on your home, as suggested by the Insurance Information Institute, the
American Society of Home Inspectors, Homestore.com, HometimeProject.com, the
National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission and the U.S. Homebuyer Education Center.
Tips for your home"s exterior:
1. Maintain your gutters.
Remove all debris so water can properly drain, which minimizes standing
water and slows the freeze/thaw expansion process that occurs in cold
weather.
Clogged gutters can cause landscaping, lawn and shrubbery, walls,
foundation, basement, crawl spaces and existing gutter system damage.
Consider installing "gutter guards," which are screens that prevent debris
from entering the gutter and direct the flow of water away from the house
and into the ground.
2. Trim your trees and remove dead branches.
Inclement weather can cause weak trees or branches to break and damage your
home, car, utility lines or someone walking on your property.
Keep an eye out for large dead branches in trees; detached branches hanging
in trees; cavities or rotten wood along trunks or major branches; mushrooms
at the base of trees; cracks or splits in trunks; leaves that prematurely
develop unusual color or size; and trees that were previously topped or
heavily pruned.
If you see any signs of hazards, call a professional tree service.
3. Maintain your steps and handrails.
Repair broken stairs and banisters so nobody falls and hurts themselves.
4. Inspect your roof.
Be proactive and prevent emergency and expensive repairs.
Things to look for include damaged or loose shingles; gaps in the flashing
where the roofing and siding meet vents and flues; and damaged mortar around
the chimney (especially at the joints, caps and washes).
If you see any signs of damage, call a professional to repair the damage.
5. Inspect your home"s exterior walls.
Look for possible weather-related damage, like cracks and loose or crumbling
mortar. Wood trim and siding can suffer from deteriorating paint or become
loose. Windowsills may be cracked, split or decayed.
Tips for your home"s interior:
1. Check your home"s insulation.
Your attic should be five to 10 degrees warmer than outside air, otherwise
too much heat escapes and causes frozen water to melt and refreeze which can
result in a collapsed roof.
Don"t neglect your basement and crawl spacers, because if they"re well
insulated your pipes will be protected from freezing.
2. Maintain your pipes.
Wrap your pipes with heating tape every winter and insulate unfinished rooms
such as garages if they contain exposed pipes.
Check pipes for cracks and leaks and have any damage repaired immediately to
prevent costlier repairs later.
3. Keep your house warm.
The temperature in your house should be at least 65 degrees because inside
the walls, where the pipes are located, it"s much colder.
4. Check your heating systems.
Be sure to maintain your furnace, fireplace, boiler, water heater, space
heater and wood-burning stove and have your heating system serviced every
year.
Check smoke and fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and change your
heating and air conditioning filters.
Have your appliances inspected for gas leaks and adequate ventilation.
5. Know your plumbing.
Learn how to shut the water off and know where your pipes are located.
If your pipes freeze, the quicker you shut off the water, the better chance
you have of preventing pipe bursts.
6. Check weather stripping and caulking around windows and doors and replace
or repair as needed.
Caulking helps keep your house weather-tight, lowers your heating and
cooling bills, and can also help keep insects and rodents out of your house.
Also look for chipped or peeling paint around window frames and trim.
Repair broken glass and loose or missing putty. When needed, use a modern
glazing compound instead of putty for a waterproof seal.
7. Clean and vacuum dust from vents, baseboard heaters and cold-air returns.
Dust build-up in ducts is a major cause of indoor pollutants and can
increase incidences of cold-weather illnesses.
8. Check all your faucets for leaks and repair any you find.
Replace washers if necessary.
By setting aside a few weekends now, you"ll be saving you and your home a
lot of hassle later. Once your home passes your fall inspection, you and
your family can relax and enjoy the coming months.