Winter Problems & Preventative Maintenance: Part 2

With the winter season officially here, every homeowner should be aware of common homeownership maintenance problems and preventative options for alleviating unexpected costs and time. If you missed Part 1 visit you can check it out here and consider preparing your home for the winter season with the following Part 2 suggestions:

Check your Roof

Before snow covers the vast majority of your roof and has a chance to melt, inspect your roof from the eave (lowest part of the roof line) on a ladder and check for loose, damaged, or missing shingles. If corrections are needed before water has a chance to penetrate the observed areas, hire a handyman to replace a small amount of shingles or a roofer to fix a larger section. 

Clean Gutters

When gutters are full of leaves and debris, especially near rooflines that are surrounded by trees, water can back up against the house and damage roofing, siding, and trim as well as possible ice dams. If your home is too large to clean the gutters yourself, consider hiring a handyman for $70-$200 and have them look for missing or damaged downspout drainage system pieces and fascia boards. 

Caulk Around Doors & Windows

One of the easiest ways for heat and energy to escape your home, and cost you money, is through old, untreated windows with gaps between the siding and window/door frame.  If you see spots that are larger than the size of a nickel, reapply silicone caulk to the exterior. Silicone is best for exterior use because it won’t shrink and it’s impervious to the elements. Add additional weather-stripping as needed around doors, and check window-glazing putty too. 

If you’re planning a move now or in the future, make sure to visit www.HomeFaxInspect.com for your home inspection from Home Fax Inspections, and get your Home Fax Report prior to purchasing the home by visiting www.NationwideHomeFax.com. We’ll be back for Part 3 soon, see you then!

Winter Problems & Preventative Maintenance

Part 1 

With the winter season officially here, every homeowner should be aware of common homeownership maintenance problems and preventative options for alleviating unexpected costs and time. Consider preparing your home for the winter season with the following suggestions that will be posted in parts of this preventative maintenance series: 

Reverse your ceiling fans

If you’re able switch your ceiling fan to reverse, the fan will naturally produce an updraft and push heated air down into the room from the ceiling.  You’ll save energy, especially in larger rooms where heat rises, and be able to keep your thermostat lower. 

Prevent ‘ice damming’ from your roof

Take important steps to prevent damage to your gutters, roof, and more if you experienced lots of icicles, or worse yet ice dams last winter.  Ice dams cause water to back up and flow into your house, are heavy enough to damage your gutters, and place unneeded stress upon your roof materials. A vast majority of these issues are caused from poor air flow, air leaks, or lack of soffit vents.  A weatherization contractor can identify and fix air leaks and inadequate insulation in your attic that can lead to ice dams. You may also be able to find a federal energy-efficiency tax credit, as well as state or utility rebates as well. 

Tune up your heating system

To achieve maximum manufacturer rating efficiency, hire a Heating and Cooling Technician for roughly $100 to inspect and clean your furnace. Remember to change your air filter regularly, and have a couple extra filters on hand in case you run out.  

Check back for Part 2 soon, and don't forget to see how Home Fax Inspections and Nationwide Home Fax help you Know the Home Before You Buy in the meantime!