Household Projects To Get Done Before Winter

Roof And Foundation Repair

It would be best to repair your roof before winter, as you do not want ice dams that will eventually leak into your home and cause costly repairs. Foundations settle and crack, allowing rodents and insects to enter your house quickly. Hire a professional to repair any cracks in your foundation. Your foundation may have to have braces put in so it will not continue to shift and cause larger cracks down the road. You may want to call a foundation repair company.

Caulking And Weather Striping

It is a good idea to check the caulk around your windows, as you will lose a lot of heat if it is dried up and falls out. I had new caulk put around all of my windows this spring. Ensure your weather striping is good, flexible, and tight around all your doors. Attaching a door sweep to the bottom of your doors is also a good idea, as that will keep out the draft.

Have Your Furnace Checked

At least have your furnace checked every two years to ensure that there are no cracks in the heat exchanger and that all the motors are quiet and functioning normally. Also, make sure the ignitor is in good shape, or your furnace may not start on a night with a blizzard. If you use propane tanks, ensure you have booked enough for the entire winter. It takes at least two months to get a new furnace, so plan early.

Make Sure Your Back Up Generators Are In Good Working Order

Start Your generators at least twice yearly and ensure the oil level is up. I always run them out of fuel when I store them. That way, you will not have stale fuel in them; they should take right off when needed.

Snowblowers

Start your snowblowers and make sure they purr like kittens. Most of the time, if you put a new spark plug in, it should take right off if it did not earlier. I add seafoam to the gas, keeping them operating with no troubles. If your snowblower was on its last peg last year, trade it off soon so you will be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws our way.

Appliances of All Types

Make sure all of your appliances are working smoothly. You do not want to have to move a new refrigerator into your house in the middle of the winter. The last time I purchased a new refrigerator, it took nine months. If your washing machine sounds like a trashing machine, replace it now.

Vehicles

Get your cars and trucks winterized and start shopping for new tires. Tire traction makes all the difference on ice. I like tires with good thread patterns to help you through the deepest snow. Make sure your car battery is at its peak performance, or some wintery night, your car may not start, and you will get very cold in a hurry. Have all of the necessary winter supplies in your vehicle, and you will be happy if you get stranded in the winter. Plan ahead this winter and stay safe and warm.