9:16 AM | 
Posted by MacLachlan & Mitchell Homes | 
Well, fall is here and it is about now you start
thinking about Winter Home Maintenance.
Winter preparedness projects should be done before the really cold weather hits so start working through your list in September so your home is ready!
Here are just a few suggestions to help get you going:
Clean up the yard. Disconnect the garden hose and store it in the garage, garden shed or under your deck.
Concrete bird baths should be taken down and turned upside down so that water won't pool and freeze, eroding the surface of the basin. The same applies for other yard ornaments, statues, fountains or anything that might hold water.
Chairs and tables that are going to be left out in the winter weather should be covered. Wrap thick plastic over your grills and lawn furniture and secure them.
Check for air leaks around windows and doors. If any caulking has become brittle or is pulling away from the frames of the openings, dig that out and replace it with new material now.
Check threshold strips under doorways to see if they need to be adjusted or replaced. Cold air can really run up the utility bill if they're not positioned correctly, to say nothing of the mice that slip through even the smallest crack so have a peek.
Any pipes that are exposed to the elements should be insulated.
Check the chimney to make sure you won't burn the house down when you light the first fire of the winter.
Get out your ladder. Fallen leaves which have compacted can dislodge even the tightest hung gutters and make it a hassle to put back in the spring. Even those with gutter covers somehow seem to eventually become clogged with trash. Clean those gutters before winter.
While you have the ladder out, raise it a few feet, climb up on your roof to see if you have any loose shingles or cracks in the valleys; especially the coverings around the bathroom and kitchen vents.
If you have trees close to the house, make sure limbs are cut far enough away from the structure to avoid damaging it when cold winds blow. It doesn't take much of a wind to lift up a shingle or pull the nails out of a piece of vinyl siding.
You will be glad you took the time to do these tasks, being proactive by winterizing our homes is the best way to avoid a serious problem in the dead of winter.
Winter preparedness projects should be done before the really cold weather hits so start working through your list in September so your home is ready!
Here are just a few suggestions to help get you going:
Clean up the yard. Disconnect the garden hose and store it in the garage, garden shed or under your deck.
Concrete bird baths should be taken down and turned upside down so that water won't pool and freeze, eroding the surface of the basin. The same applies for other yard ornaments, statues, fountains or anything that might hold water.
Chairs and tables that are going to be left out in the winter weather should be covered. Wrap thick plastic over your grills and lawn furniture and secure them.
Check for air leaks around windows and doors. If any caulking has become brittle or is pulling away from the frames of the openings, dig that out and replace it with new material now.
Check threshold strips under doorways to see if they need to be adjusted or replaced. Cold air can really run up the utility bill if they're not positioned correctly, to say nothing of the mice that slip through even the smallest crack so have a peek.
Any pipes that are exposed to the elements should be insulated.
Check the chimney to make sure you won't burn the house down when you light the first fire of the winter.
Get out your ladder. Fallen leaves which have compacted can dislodge even the tightest hung gutters and make it a hassle to put back in the spring. Even those with gutter covers somehow seem to eventually become clogged with trash. Clean those gutters before winter.
While you have the ladder out, raise it a few feet, climb up on your roof to see if you have any loose shingles or cracks in the valleys; especially the coverings around the bathroom and kitchen vents.
If you have trees close to the house, make sure limbs are cut far enough away from the structure to avoid damaging it when cold winds blow. It doesn't take much of a wind to lift up a shingle or pull the nails out of a piece of vinyl siding.
You will be glad you took the time to do these tasks, being proactive by winterizing our homes is the best way to avoid a serious problem in the dead of winter.
Mac & Mitch Homes - Building Quality Homes for happy families in Edmonton & surrounding
areas since 1942. Visit our website - http://www.MacMitch-Homes.com
