At the time of writing, winter is almost upon us. While this is great news for those of us looking forward to the Christmas holidays, it's also bad news when the temperatures drop, and we start to feel the icy chill. To ensure you have a cozy living space this winter, there are a few winter home checks you need to make today (or as soon as you possibly can).
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Check your heating
Is your boiler working? Do the radiators need bleeding? Is your air conditioning working optimally? Do you have enough fuel for your log or coal stoves? Do all the requisite checks, and if there are any issues, call out the professionals. This includes 5 Star Repair Services Inc. for your AC unit, a plumber to deal with any frozen pipes, and a boiler technician to service your boiler. With the heating sorted, you are one step closer to a warm home this winter.
Check the roof
The last thing you want this winter is cold air and water leakage because you have missing or cracked tiles. You will suffer a very literal chill down your back! Now is the time to get the ladder out and have a look, or if you have vertigo, get somebody to look at your roof for you.
One place that is of significant important is an enclosed patio or conservatory roof. These spaces are often attached the side of a home's main structure or tie into an existing roof line if it was built as an add-on. Depending on the quality of the original work, it can be a recipe for leaks sooner than later. Companies like https://projects4roofing.co.uk/ are specialists in assessing these particular roofs.
If any repairs need doing, now is the time to do it before the weather turns for the worse.
Check your doors and windows
If you have any nasty drafts coming in from your doors and windows, you have a couple of options. The first is to replace them, although that can be a costly affair. The second is to insulate them. Weatherstripping is an inexpensive way to seal your doors and windows, and you can find what you need at your local hardware store. Re-caulking those cold spots is another good idea, filling in any gaps where the drafts are coming through.
Check your chimney
Not only will Santa have a hard time making it into your home if the chimney is blocked, but you also run the risk of a house fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Paying for a chimney sweep may be an expense you don't want to make at this time of year, but it could save your life!
Check the guttering
This isn't a fun job, but you really do need to unblock the gutters of any leaves or debris that may have built up over the last few months. If you don't, the gutters will become clogged, rain will seep through your walls and roof, and that can lead to damp and structural damage within your home. To save that added expense later on, it is time to get those gloves on now and start clearing out the gunk!
Furthermore, if you would like to provide some additional protection for your gutters, then you might also want to consider installing gutter guards – you can learn more about the benefits of gutter guards on the MasterShield website here: https://www.mastershieldatl.com/
Finally
After all the checks have been done, and once the necessary maintenance tasks have been carried out, you will have a home that is able to stand the wintry conditions to come. You are now free to enjoy the Christmas holidays, and whatever else you have in store this season.