Whether it’s winter, summer, spring, or fall, there are certain home maintenance tasks that just shouldn’t be overlooked. But if there was any time in the year to prepare your home accordingly, it has to be the winter months.
Depending on where you live, the winter months can be harsh on both the outside and inside of your home as well as your garden, lawn, and plants. If you don’t prepare, you may pay the price down-the-line, and you can’t always expect your home insurance policy to cover it!
Here are some of the common mistakes with home maintenance to avoid as the cold weather approaches.
Prevent These Common Mistakes with Home Maintenance this Winter
As you may already know, it’s crucial that you prepare your pipes for the fast-approaching frost. It’s also wise to buy a snow blower, and a snow shovel, if you don’t already own these tools. If you don’t live in a region with high snowfall, then you might want to invest in a good rake and follow these tips, regardless:
1. Don’t Forget to Schedule a Free Energy Audit
Not knowing how much energy your home consumes can really cost you during the winter months. It’s important that you have a clear outline of your home’s energy efficiency and areas you can improve on.
By scheduling in a free energy audit, you can get the full picture of how you use energy in your home, and where you can improve energy efficiency. This can save you big bucks throughout the colder months when energy usage naturally increases.
2. Don’t Ignore Small Cosmetic Issues
Small things such as chipped paint and gaps in your grouting can lead to much bigger problems than you’d think. Especially during the harsh, cold, and wet weather in winter.
These issues are hot spots for the formation of mold and mildew on your property. Cracked paint can also lead to damage to the material underneath it. All of these small issues add up over time, and come spring, you could be facing far bigger home maintenance tasks than you expected.
Make sure you patch up and fix even the smallest cosmetic issues before winter hits and you can avoid this headache when the weather thaws!
3. Don’t Ignore Gutter and Downspout Maintenance
It’s a no-brainer that your gutters and downspouts require some preparation before winter hits. Rainfall, sleet, snow, and wind can batter these areas of your home. Make sure your gutters are clear of debris and safely secured to your roof siding. Ensure all downspout drains are unclogged and the piping is in good shape.
4. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Lawn Raking
Even though it may seem like nothing grows during the winter, this is not entirely true of the grass on your lawn. There is still plenty of activity going on within the root system, so make sure your lawn raking is a priority, even in the cold months.
Why? Because when a lawn is smothered in leaves, this smothers the turf. An overgrowth of mildew can ultimately kill your grass. When spring rolls around, this is an expensive headache you don’t want to face.
5. Don’t Store Firewood too Close to Your House
A wood-burning fire during the winter months is a wonderful luxury to have in any home. But bear in mind that stacks of firewood create a perfectly cozy environment for a number of creepy-crawlies you may not want in your home. Make sure your stacked firewood is stored roughly 6-feet away from your exterior walls.
Always keep your firewood elevated, off the ground on a rack made from steel or some other metal. Don’t forget to shake off the firewood before you bring it into your home! You can also spray your firewood stacks with insect repellent to keep infestations at bay.
6. Don’t Forget to Pest-Proof Your Plantings
If you live in a region that is home to deer or even rodents, it’s a good idea to wrap up your prized plantings in your garden. This is because food sources are scarce during the winter months, and your plantings may look like tasty fodder.
To keep pests at bay, wrap your plantings in burlap or wire mesh, and spray them with repellent.
7. Don’t Forget to Protect Outdoor Faucets
You may already know that you should wrap up and store your hoses and winterize your outdoor irrigation systems. But it’s often a common mistake to overlook outdoor faucets.
You can protect yours with simple outdoor faucet covers, which you can find at almost any home maintenance store. This helps to prevent faucet cracking and cold air seeping into your home. Make sure you also wrap exterior pipes with foam insulation to avoid freezing.
8. Don’t Forget to Regularly Humidify Indoor Air
If you want to keep your home extra warm and save on heating bills, make sure to keep the air inside well humidified. The fact is, humid air just feels warmer. So running a humidifier in your home can help to create a warmer environment.
A humidifier is also great for eliminating skin conditions caused by very cold, dry air in the winter. You can also soothe allergies, aching throats, and prevent static.
Learn How to Become a Home Makeover Pro
By avoiding these common mistakes with home maintenance you can extend the lifespan of your property by a mile. You can also save yourself plenty of time and money, and head into the spring or summer months knowing that your home is ready for it!
If you’re interested in learning more about home renovation, trends, interior design, or home DIY projects, be sure to explore this site for more. We offer a range of informative articles to help you build the best home to suit your style and budget.