Your Home Winterization Checklist Made Easy
With winter upon us, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your home for the cold weather. But where do you start? Don’t worry; Merry Maids® has you covered. We’ve compiled an easy-to-follow checklist of things you need to do to winterize your home, from sealing up drafts to insulating your pipes. So, grab a cup of hot cocoa and get ready to get cozy!
Get Your Furnace Serviced
Furnace maintenance is number one on the list for a reason. A well-functioning furnace will keep you and your family warm all winter long, and it’s also more efficient (and often cheaper) to operate.
With winter in full swing, it’s time to tackle the cheap ways to winterize your home. At the top of the winterize home checklist has to be getting your furnace serviced. After all, wouldn’t it be nice if you and your family could spend all those cozy nights in front of a roaring fire without worrying whether or not there will be enough heat? Not only will servicing your furnace keep everyone warm, but it may also save money in the long run because the unit may operate more efficiently. So don’t wait – get that furnace checked by an expert to feel even more relaxed about taking on Old Man Winter.
Caulk and Weatherstrip Doors and Windows
Caulking and weatherstripping are easy ways to prevent drafts and heat loss in your home. Just add some caulk around cracks in door frames or windows and apply weatherstripping to doors and windows that open and close.
If you’re home for the winter, you may as well make sure it stays warm! Your home winterization checklist should definitely include caulking and weatherstripping doors and windows. Not only is this an easy way to insulate against drafts and heat loss, but it’s budget-friendly, too! Find some caulk and apply it around any cracks in your door frames, then add some weatherstripping to those doors and windows that open and close. Now, you can cozy up next to your fireplace, knowing no winter chill is sneaking in through the cracks.
Insulate Pipes
Pipes are susceptible to freezing in cold weather, so insulate any exposed pipes in your home.
With winter in full swing, cheap ways to winterize your home are always a hot topic. One of the best and simplest concepts for any homeowner to grab intelligently is insulating pipes! Not only can insulation make them last longer, but it can also prevent them from succumbing to Jack Frost’s icy breath in cold weather. Thankfully, you can find pipe insulation at most hardware stores. And if you need an extra incentive, insulated pipes can help save up to 3 to 4% of your energy costs annually.
Clean Out Gutters
Clogged gutters can cause water damage to your roof or foundation, so it’s important to clean them out before winter sets in.
Cleaning out your gutters might not be very high on your home winterization checklist, but trust us, it should be! All those leaves and debris clogging up the gutter can cause serious water damage to your roof or the foundation. Save yourself hassle and expense down the line by getting up there with a ladder and clearing it out. Or, if heights aren’t your thing, you can always hire a professional gutter cleaner to do the job for you. Either way, it’s an important task that can ultimately protect your home from unnecessary damage.
Bring Outdoor Furniture Inside
If you have any patio furniture or other items that need to be stored away for the winter, now is the time to do it! Make sure they’re clean and dry before storing them to prevent mold or mildew from forming.
Winter’s chill is in the air again, which means marking off those home winterization to-dos. As you adjust the thermostat and caulk windows, you’ll also want to put your outdoor furniture into hibernation for the season. If you’ve got any patio furniture that needs to be put away for the cold months ahead, now is a great time to get it done so you can forget about it until spring! Just make sure you take a few moments to give your items a good cleaning before storing them away. This can help prevent bacteria build-up on them while they’re tucked away for winter.
Let Merry Maids Help Check Off All Your Winter Cleaning To-Dos!
With just a bit of effort, you can easily save yourself some aggravation come next season when it’s time to welcome warmer weather back into your life. Now, you have an effective plan to tackle winterization tasks around your home for potential better energy efficiency and savings.
While you focus on a few indoor and outdoor responsibilities, let us tackle the cleaning to help you prepare your home for winter and avoid unpleasant surprises. Merry Maids provides professional cleaning services that help make navigating a busy schedule much easier.
Contact us today by calling (888) 490-4227 to request a free cleaning estimate, and let us take care of holiday cleaning and detailed cleaning for you!
