Sad to say, but Ol’ Man Winter is just around the corner!
And with it, of course, comes fierce winds, heavy snow, slippery ice and frigid temperatures.
Not only can those conditions be hard on you, they can be damaging and costly to your home.
So while you are prepping by pulling those sweatshirts, sweaters and winter coats from storage, check out the 5 pre-winter home tasks below that you can do to help keep you and your home warmer and safer.
It might just save you a few bucks as well!
5 Pre-Winter Home Tasks That Can Save Money And Headaches
#1 Turn Your Ceiling Fan Blades In The Right Direction
Fans in the winter need to be turned to a clockwise position
The direction of ceiling fan blades can make a big difference in the comfort level of your home. It can also help save on your energy bills.
In the wintertime, blades should be rotating so that the air is pulled up. For most fan designs, this means blades should be turned to a clockwise motion during winter.
This allows the cooler air to be pulled up and pushes the warmer air that is trapped at the top back down the sides of your walls.
In the summer, reverse back to switch blades to a counter-clockwise motion.
This creates a windchill effect with the breeze coming down and provides an overall cooling effect to your home.
#2 Unhook Outside Hoses
One of the easiest and yet most forgotten pre-winter home tasks is to unhook outside water hoses. Hoses left hooked through the winter can easily burst from constant freezing and thawing.
Not only can they be costly to replace, they can cause serious water damage if the spout happens to still be on and a leak occurs.
Now is the time to unhook, drain and store away hoses to protect them through the winter.
#3 Close Off and Open Outside Spigots
While you are putting the hose away, be sure to shut off outside spigots from the inside as well.
If you have interior shut-off valves to outside water lines, now is the time to shut them off before the freezing temperatures arrive.
Once shut off from the inside, open up the outside spigot to allow all water to drain out. This will prevent your spigots and the line outside from cracking, splitting and failing.
#4 Clean Out Gutters and Downspouts
Nothing can cause more damage to your home through winter than clogged gutters and downspouts.
Ice and snow back-ups can easily form when gutters are full of leaves and debris.
When back-ups occur, it can lead to everything from roof leaks to gutters falling off of your house. So get out there now and make sure all is clear.
It’s much easier to perform now than when the ice and snow have already formed!
#5 Change Your Furnace Filters
Get prepared now for Old Man Winter!
Last but not least, take a moment to change out your furnace filters!
A dirty furnace filter can cost you in so many ways. When a filter becomes clogged, your furnace has to work harder, meaning it is far less efficient. It also leads to poor air quality in your home, which can mean huge problems when it comes to allergies.
Here’s to getting through another long winter safe and sound! – Jim and Mary.
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