Winterize your home
Brrr, it’s cold outside! As the temperatures plummet, you want your home to be a source of warmth and comfort. It is important to set your house up to be able to withstand the harsh winter elements without suffering any damage. Take some time to winterize your house. It will help you to save on utilities and prevent potential damage to the roof, plumbing and furnace, ensuring your home will stay warm and inviting all winter long! Here are some tips from Agape Construction to safely winterize your house.
Outdoor Space
Before winterizing the house, you should look at your property. Do you have large trees that have branches hanging near your home or any other structure? It is important to keep trees trimmed as ice and snow may cause branches to break off and fall onto the roof. Also, make sure your gutters are clean of debris. In the fall, gutters tend to fill with fallen leaves that sit and rot all winter! Clean gutters will help keep water away from your home’s foundation when winter precipitation comes down. If you have outdoor furniture or an outdoor grill, move them into a garage or basement if possible. If not possible, wrap a cover or tarp over them to protect them during the harsh winter months so you can enjoy them again next spring. Be sure to have snow shovels and salt on hand so you can keep your driveway and walkways clear when it does snow to prevent unwanted slips and falls.
Plumbing
Pipes unfortunately tend to freeze in the winter. Often a homeowner will not even be aware of this until the following spring when they start using their garden hose and end up with water flooding their basement from a burst pipe. Protect your pipes this winter by unplugging the garden hose from the exterior of the home and insulating pipes that are susceptible to freezing. You can take it one step further by installing an emergency pressure release valve in the home’s plumbing system. This will protect pipes from bursting when pressure builds up from frozen pipes. If you are a snowbird and prefer to leave St. Louis for warmer sites, you should drain your plumbing system and turn your water off before you leave. It is best to have a friend or family member available to periodically check on your home while you are gone.
Heating Your Home
To enjoy a warm and cozy home this winter, make your home as energy efficient as possible. Not only will these small improvements help keep your home more comfortable, but they should help you save on your energy bills! Before the weather turns cold, you should test your heating system and check your smoke detectors. Daylight savings time is a great time to get in the habit of doing this! If you have a wood burning fireplace you should also have an inspection done on your fireplace and chimney. A professional company should clean your chimney before building your first fire of the season. Consider installing an energy efficient programmable thermostat. An efficient temperature setting is 68° F when you are home and awake; 65° F when you are away or asleep. Be sure to check along your windows and doors to see if they need caulk or new weather stripping.
If you need assistance winterizing your home, Agape Construction offers a handyman service! Our talented handymen can help you with several of the winterizing tasks such as caulking and weather stripping along your doors and windows, among any other small repairs your home might need. Call Agape today to schedule a handyman service for you home – 314-909-9050.
