With winter fast approaching, it is time to consider some fall maintenance for your home and HVAC system to prepare yourself for the coming winter months. Here are 10 tips to prepare your home for winter from ADA Heating & Air that will save you money and keep you comfortable all throughout the cold winter months.
Restock Essentials
Don’t wait for a bad winter storm to hit, stock up on all your winter essentials now. Purchase things like salt, ice melt, shovels, ice scrapers, and fuel for your snow blower in advance so you are not scrambling when you need them.
Reverse Ceiling Fans
When you turn your heat on, switch your fan to run in a clockwise direction so the fan will produce an updraft. This updraft will push down warm air (because heat rises) from the ceiling to keep your home warmer in the cold fall and winter months.
Check the Windows
The gaps and cracks between sliding doors or window frames should not be larger than the width of a nickel. If the gaps between your frames are larger than this, you will be spending extra money in the winter on heating and cooling costs because you will be losing heat. Keep your home warm and your thermostat and wallet happy by caulking frames and cracks that could lead to problems.
Check the Roof
Closely examine your roof for damaged or missing shingles. In the winter, problems with your shingles can lead to leaking roofs and colder temperatures in your home.
Check the Gutters
Give you gutters some extra attention before the snow causes problems. Debris in your gutters can lead to damaging water back up in your home from melted snow or ice dams. Avoid the extra costs of repairing your wood trim, roofing, and siding and clean out your gutters regularly, making sure to check for missing or damaged gutters as well.
Clean Out the Chimney
Prevent chimney fires and the dangers of carbon monoxide in your home by calling a chimney sweep before it gets too late in the season. Before you light your next fire, make sure your chimney vents are clean, clear, and in good condition by following safe chimney maintenance.
Turn off Exterior Water Lines
Make sure you disconnecting all garden hoses and sprinklers, drain your pipes properly, and turn the shut-off valve off before temperatures drop to freezing. Undrained water in your pipes can easily freeze and cause major issues if you do not have frost-proof water fixtures.
Rake and Prune
Get your yard, trees, and shrubs prepared for the winter months and help ensure that they look good in the spring by pruning as late in the fall as you can and raking or mowing your leaves. Mowing your leaves is a good alternative to raking that will help keep your lawn healthy from the nourishment of the small pieces of decomposing leaves.
Stow Everything
Whatever you keep outdoors, lawn mowers, tables, patio chairs, sprinklers, and hoses, make sure it is stored properly and indoors to prevent damage from winter weather.
Tune Up the Heating and Cooling
Lastly and most importantly, save yourself the hassle of long wait times and untimely outages by tuning up your heating and cooling units before you have a problem. The experts at ADA Heating & Air, proudly providing HVAC maintenance and repair services for the following areas: Danville, Nicholasville, Versailles, Lexington, Harrodsburg, Stanford, Winchester, Lancaster, and the surrounding areas, are here to keep your home running smoothly all throughout the year.
Prepare Your Home For Winter Now!
Contact ADA Heating & Air to schedule your prepare your home for winter with a fall maintenance appointment today!
