Winterize Your House This Fall

Spring cleaning is normally something a lot of people do, but probably only a few people understand what it is to winterize the home. It really is a good plan every fall, to examine the house and see if it is prepared to get through another winter. At this time of year, with the leaves dying out, inspecting the house is easier, so you can tell if any shrubs are hanging onto the house. Exterior siding is very easily damaged by roots and vines that cling to the exterior - even bricks aren't immune - and they should be cleaned off.When you have finished your last watering, drain, roll up and store all the hose. The outside faucets must have the water turned off, and then allowed to drain dry. Whenever you believe that you won't use the garden furniture once more that year, get it cleaned and stored in a dry place. All young trees that you have planted, you should protect them with mulch, especially if it is their first winter. All water flow ditches should really be cleared to enable them to cope with any heavy rains.When the weather conditions starts to get colder, it is time to start thinking about fireplaces. Chimney sweeps are in high demand wih the initial cold spell, so avoid the queue and get in early. Who knows how the supply of firewood will be, so if you are going to need some, try and locate some in plenty of time. If you find yourself in a rural area, check for local residents selling firewood without advertising. Verify and confirm that all the smoke alarms are working, irrespective of whether you light fires in winter or not. If you leave your Christmas lights up for the whole year, check that the cords continue to be flexible. If you typically mount storm windows, this is the time to do it. You need to check if some of the weather-stripping has become dried out from the summer's heat and should be replaced.Verify the good working order of the cooktop hood filters, since during winter the windows are mostly closed. Do a review of the ground-slope all around the home, ensuring that it falls away from the walls. When water happens to drain into the cellar, or the foundation, that can be bad news for your house. First and foremost it causes wet rot, which could change to dry rot after some time, which you sincerely want to do without. Make the effort of examining, at regular time intervals, that water is not seeping into your home.You must search for leaks, the most vulnerable places being the roof, gutters, down-pipes and inside plumbing. Make it a priority to get any existing leaks you find fixed. Prevent a draft by safeguarding air-conditioning units, and look at wrapping exterior pipes, especially if the house is older. It is a wise decision to shampoo the floor coverings, since dust is more noticeable in the winter. While you're at it, you might as well clean the windows. To get more knowledge click check out the author.