Moving into a new home during the cooler months involves a few tasks you wouldn’t usually consider in warmer months. Some winterizing tasks are to optimize energy use, but others ensure your household is comfortable and safe during the darker days of winter. Here are seven tasks you’ll want to take care of soon after your residential move.
1. Plug Up Cold Air Leaks
Drafty areas waste energy and leave your household members feeling cold. To get rid of cold air leaks, check your window areas and caulk up any holes. Also, look at your doorways and use sweeps or apply weatherstripping to drafty areas. Remember, check your attic too!
2. Service Your Furnace/Heating System
Keeping your heating system optimized increases energy efficiency and keeps your household safe. Schedule an inspection in late summer or early fall to ensure your system is ready when the temperatures dip, and scheduling appointments in the busy winter gets harder. You should also change out your furnace filters (especially if you don’t schedule service) to ensure they are clean.
3. Insulate Your Pipes
Once temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, susceptible pipes are subject to freezing or bursting. To protect vulnerable pipes throughout your new home, invest in insulation to reduce the risk of expensive damage to your pipes and avoid the headaches that come with flooding. Remember also to check outdoor areas: drain water from outdoor systems and hoses, then shut off those valves or cover the faucets.
4. Inspect Your Chimney
If you love to light a fire and enjoy a cozy time near your fireplace, have a professional inspect your chimney. This way, you can ensure no debris, animals, or other problems are present that can lead to a fire in your chimney.
5. Check Your Outdoor Areas
Gutters clogged with fallen leaves and other debris often lead to water buildup, resulting in sagging gutters, ice dams, and water leakage into your home. Be sure to do a thorough clean-out of gutters in the fall. Also, look around your property and remove any dangerous tree limbs dangling near your house.
6. Do a Home Energy Audit
A home energy assessment is a great way to identify potential problems and find ways to be more energy-efficient and conserve energy. You can hire a professional or take the DIY route when performing a home energy audit.
7. Check Smoke Alarms and Place Carbon Monoxide Detectors
If your new home lacks smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, install them immediately. Or, if detectors are in place, check the batteries and test them. The risk of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning increases in winter due to the gas used by furnaces, stoves, generators, and other appliances. Since windows are not open at this time of the year, there is also less air ventilation. Fire risks are also higher in the winter.
Ready to Schedule Your Upcoming Move
Moving into a new home is an exciting time. Aside from readying your home for winter, be sure you have snow removal tools accessible and stock up on salt and sand.
Our professional movers can help you move your belongings, giving you more time to focus on home winterization. Contact us today for a free quote.