Medusa

Prepare Your Home For Winter

A big house with snow on the roof and the front yard.

Prepare Your Home for the Winter.

<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">Now that temperatures are dropping&comma; it is time to start thinking about preparing your home for the winter&period; Autumn is the perfect time to embark on fixing all of your home’s minor issues that could potentially become major problems during the winter&period; It is best to address the problems now before they become big issues later&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; center"><img class&equals;" wp-image-9104 aligncenter" title&equals;"Prepare Your Home For Winter" alt&equals;"Prepare Your Home For Winter" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;medusamagazine&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2013&sol;11&sol;Prepare-Your-Home-for-Winter1-640x345&period;jpg" width&equals;"576" height&equals;"311" &sol;><&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify"><strong>Check for Leaks<&sol;strong><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">Your doors and windows can hold gaps and cracks that allow cold air to seep into your home&period; Replace any doors or windows before the temperatures get too cold&period; You can seal small cracks and gaps with weatherstripping or caulk&period; Your ductwork could also house leaks&comma; so hire a professional technician to check for leaks and seal them in your ductwork&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify"><strong>Don’t Neglect Gutters<&sol;strong><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">The fall is the ideal time to clean gutters&period; Wait until after most of the leaves fall so that you only have to perform the task once&period; Remove all dirt and debris from your gutters and place a shield over the top of your gutters to prevent future clogs&period; This is one of the best ways to prevent ice and snow from damaging the eves of your house&period; Look for cracks in the gutters as you clean and seal them with caulk&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify"><strong>Prepare for Snow<&sol;strong><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">If it snows regularly where you live&comma; you will have to prepare for it far in advance&period; Stock up on sand and salt to keep pathways clear&period; Make sure you have a snow shovel and ice pick&period; If you use a snow blower&comma; make sure it is in good working order before the first snow falls&period; Make sure you also have an ice scraper in your car at all times and are prepared with snow chains or snow tires&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify"><strong>Prepare your Pipes<&sol;strong><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">Pipes can easily freeze in the winter&period; Pipes freeze when water is left in unused pipes&period; It is common for this to happen in outdoor pipes and hoses&period; Drain your hose&comma; garden sprinklers&comma; and air conditioning pipes&period; Insulate all exterior pipes with foam insulation&period; You can also make sure your heater stays on at least to 50 degrees even while away from home to prevent pipe freezing&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify"><strong>Prepare your Furnace<&sol;strong><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">No matter what kind of heating system you use&comma; the fall is the perfect time to make sure it is working properly&period; Hire a technician to look at the heating system and make any necessary repairs&period; If your unit is older than 10 years&comma; consider replacing it with an  energy-efficient model to save money and energy&period; You can clean heater filters and vacuum any dust off the unit yourself to save a few dollars in repair money&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h3 style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify"><strong>Protect your Roof<&sol;strong><&sol;h3>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">You do not want to face roof issues during the winter&period; Leaks during the winter can lead to a huge amount of expensive problems&comma; requiring you to replace insulation&comma; siding&comma; and even some of the structural supports of your home&period; If snow or water leaks into your home&comma; it can cause warping&comma; mold&comma; and a whole host of other problems&period; Have a roofing inspector take a look at your home to ensure your roof is ready to face the season&period; Some roofing companies even perform inspections for free&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p style&equals;"text-align&colon; justify">All of these steps will help you face winter temperatures with ease and without hassle&period; When you do these jobs well in advance&comma; all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the winter in comfort&period; This will allow you to focus on more fun things during the winter&comma; such as Christmas festivities or your New Year’s Eve party&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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