Winter can be extremely damaging to your home’s health. Temperature drops and high winds can put a strain on both the interior and exterior. During these bitterly cold days, it’s easy to fantasize about warmer climates. While you wait for warmer weather, use the next few weeks to complete some household maintenance tasks.
- Change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – Change the batteries in all smoke alarms twice a year or follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for changing the battery. Every two years, take the cover off, clean it with a damp cloth, and carefully vacuum the inside of the alarm. All smoke alarms have an expiration date.
- Check gutters and roof for ice dams and icicles – Ice dams and icicles form when melting snow re-freezes at the roofline of your home. If left unchecked, ice dams can become large enough to prevent water from draining off the roof, resulting in roof leaks. Keep your gutters clean, your downspouts functional, and your attic well insulated to avoid this potentially costly repair.
- Have heavy snow cleared off of your roof and ensure snow is removed from around exterior walls – A significant accumulation of snow on your roof can cause a slew of issues and endanger the structural integrity of your home. While our roofs are built to withstand the elements, they require regular maintenance to remain durable winter after winter.
- Check for drafts around doors and windows – Keeping your home free of drafts will help keep interior temperatures where you want them without taxing your heating system.
- On warm days keep eaves trough spouts down for proper drainage – Gutters and downspouts are essential parts of a home’s exterior, but if they aren’t installed or maintained properly, they can cause problems. Keep your gutters clean. The most common drainage problem is overflowing gutters. Everything from balls, and dead squirrels to bird nests to sticks, leaves, and debris piling up will then develop a cover over the leader drain, causing the gutter to overflow.
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