|
We all know with winter approaching we should be preparing our homes for the
cold weather and there are a number of things we should have be doing. To
save you some time figuring out what all those things are, here's a list of
20 things you should do around your home to make sure you both you and your
home are ready for winter.
Winter Preparation Checklist
Have your furnace professionally serviced. This includes cleaning and
checking the supply lines, furnace ducts, filters and thermostat.
If you have a fireplace, have your chimney cleaned to get rid of any
creosote build up. Also have your fireplace damper checked to be sure it is
opening and closing properly.
Purchase or chop a supply of firewood and store it outside, away from your
home's foundation.
Check the glass in your windows and doors, if any is cracked or broken
replace it before the cold weather gets here, (Don't forget your basement
windows as well).
Look at the caulking around your doors and windows. Remove any that is
cracked or peeling and install fresh new caulking while the weather is warm
enough to do the job.
Add weather stripping around the edges of doors and windows to prevent cold
drafts from coming in during the winter.
Clean leaves and debris out of your gutters so fall rains and melting snow
this winter won't freeze and pull them right off your house.
Trim any tree branches that are overhanging your roof or are close to
electric or utility wires.
Turn off the water supply to your outside taps and drain the water supply
lines leading to them.
Drain all your hoses and put them away in your shed or garage. If you have a
lawn or garden sprinkler system be sure to drain it and blow out the lines
as well.
Check to be sure your handrails and walkways are in good condition. If they
need work, now's the time to repair them, not after the cold weather
arrives.
Drain the gas from your lawn mower and any other engines that won't be used
until next spring. Getting the gas out of the engine will prevent old gas
from gumming up the carburetors, making the engines easier to start next
spring.
Make sure your snow blower will start and have it serviced if there is a
problem.
Make sure your snow shovel is in good repair and replace it if it's not.
It's also a good idea to spray your snow shovels with WD-40 or cooking spray
to prevent snow from sticking when you're shoveling.
Plant your spring bulbs and dig up any bulbs (such as dahlias) that won't
survive in the cold.
Buy some bags of salt, ice melt or sand so you can avoid the mad rush when
that first snow fall comes.
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to be sure they're working and
install fresh batteries.
Gather the phone numbers of your utility companies as well as your furnace
technician and store them near your telephone or tape them inside your phone
book.
Prepare for an emergency. Get a supply of bottled water, non perishable
food, a flashlight and batteries, candles and matches or a lighter, warm
clothes and blankets, a portable radio and a camp stove for cooking.
Consider purchasing a back up generator so your home will be able to
function even without utility power.
Murray Anderson is an experienced freelance writer with over 800 articles
published on the web as well as in print magazines and newspapers in both
the United States and Canada.
Courtesy: Murray Anderson |
Murray Anderson