Photo jgareri from Getty Images Signature via Canva.com
In this article:
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." - Ben Franklin
Prepare, prepare, prepare—this is what Ben meant. In fact, he was referring to fire safety, which is an appropriate item for your winter home maintenance checklist, too. In addition to fire safety, winter has a lot of weather to contend with, and your home needs to be ready, so work from room to room to make sure you’re well prepared.
Keep Your Kitchen Cozy and Safe
A lot of home life happens in the kitchen, and it’s probably the most used room in the house, so it’s crucial to keep it operational during the winter season.
Fire Safety
Fire extinguishers have an expiration date. Check yours, and then refresh your memory for correct usage. Winter is also a great time to plan a home evacuation in case of fire. Locks on windows and doors should function correctly and easily, allowing for a timely escape. The family needs to know how to exit the home quickly and head to a safe place to meet.
Protect Your Pipes
Frozen water is a known wintertime hazard. Inspect all the water pipes and lines to and from the sink, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
Warm Up the Floors
Kitchens often have tile or other hard flooring. Adding throw rugs and even layering rugs of different sizes warms up the space.
Bathroom Winter Prep
Prepping a bathroom for cold temperatures is the best way to maintain functionality.
Avoid Frozen Pipes
Many of the water issues found in the kitchen also occur in bathrooms. Clearing space from beneath bathroom sinks ensures items won’t be damaged if frozen pipes occur.
Allowing a small, slow drip of water to escape in frigid temperatures avoids built-up pressure and burst plumbing. Leaving the cabinet doors open for warm air to circulate also helps.
Are you hoping to sell your home soon? Here are a few tips: Easy DIY Kitchen and Bathroom Updates.
Living Room Winter Maintenance
A gathering space for comfort and coziness is best served with a few winter home maintenance precautions.
Fireplace Safety and Maintenance
Your fireplace and chimney should be inspected and cleaned each year and repaired if needed. Have fire tools and heatproof gloves on hand to manage activity. Professionals should also inspect gas fireplaces each year.
Space heaters are dangerous if unattended. Leaving a note visible to everyone to shut it off before leaving the house is an easy way to avoid tragedy. Before using, read the safety instructions to verify the clearance space needed.
If your windows allow cold air in, invest in DIY insulation to temporarily block the heat from escaping.
Bedroom Comfort
A bedroom isn’t a retreat for sleep if it’s too cold. Regular seasonal home maintenance will keep you feeling toasty.
Ensure Proper Ventilation
Bedroom vents are easily blocked by furniture and rugs. Clear the airflow for maximum heat. If mounted from the ceiling, vacuum vents thoroughly to avoid blowing dust.
Upgrade Beddings and Curtains for Warmth
Add extra blankets to beds and upgrade to flannel sheets to save on energy costs at night. Change lightweight curtains to a heavy fabric to block drafts and further warm the room.
Thinking of updating your bedroom this winter? Use Color to Define Your Decorating Style in the Bedroom.
Photo by gbk std from gubuk studio via Canva.com
Winterproofing Basements and Utility Rooms
These areas are typically the workhorses of the house and need seasonal maintenance to avoid costly repairs and weather-related catastrophes.
Winter Prep for Your Water System
Water heaters are vital for the house to function comfortably. It’s necessary to drain away sediment at least once a year.
Locate and familiarize yourself with how to close the main water shut-off valve. It could save thousands of dollars in damage. Any pipe close to an exterior wall benefits from a sleeve to keep it warm enough to prevent freezing.
Furnace Care
The furnace also needs annual maintenance to run without worry. Schedule an annual inspection and maintenance with a licensed HVAC professional to ensure it’s running safely and efficiently. Regular servicing can prevent costly repairs, improve energy efficiency, and help your system last longer. Don’t overlook the simple task of replacing furnace filters each month.
General Interior Winterization Tips
There are many ways to winterize throughout the home to help you stay safe and warm.
- Reverse the direction of ceiling fans to send warm air down to the floor level.
- Block drafts with home improvement store remedies to keep the cold air from coming in under the doors.
- Program the thermostat to stay consistent through the day and lower at night to save money on energy bills.
- Open the curtains during the day to let the sun warm the rooms.
- Keep the doors closed for rooms that are not often used to minimize wasted energy.
- Winter is an optimal season to test for radon because the heating system is running.
General Exterior Winter Home Maintenance
Preventing cold and water from entering the house through seasonal home maintenance is the best protection against the winter season.
- The garage door should not have gaps or cracks to let the weather or animals inside. It might be a cost-savings to insulate the garage door if used frequently during the winter.
- Regularly check the roof and gutters for ice dams and icicles to remove the possibility of more extensive damage to the house.
- Storm preparedness is key to getting through winter without inconvenience, at a minimum. Gather shovels and ice remover for immediate use. Generators and snow blowers need service and fuel to be effective during big storms.
If you’re planning ahead this fall, keep in mind that some winter prevention tasks take ten minutes or less, but others require an hour or more. So plot out a couple of weekends before the harsh weather hits to take care of your home and ward off costly and destructive problems.
By Dawn M. Smith
back to top