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Preparing Your Home for the Winter Months

Thermal insulation, house energy efficiency concept isolated on white

Chagrin Falls, Ohio homes for sale are a great investment, which is why they deserve proper maintenance year round. Much has been said about revitalizing your home after a brutal winter, and while it’s necessary to freshen up your property for the spring season, prevention is just as important.

As a top Cleveland Realtor, these are my tips for winterizing your home in the fall.

Thermal insulation, house energy efficiency concept isolated on white

Do an energy audit

The Department of Energy recommends doing an energy audit at least once a year. Now might be the best time to do it. An energy audit will help you determine where you’re losing energy in the home and how you can make your living space a more comfortable place to live in the cold months.

During an audit, a professional technician will determine where heat is leaking out of your home by checking common sources of leaks. They will also inspect your furnace and water heater.

Seal it up

Worried about racking up a high utility bill? Keep your heating costs down in the winter months by sealing off all windows, access doors, cracks, and air vents.
This keeps heat from escaping and makes your heating more efficient.

Aside from keeping your heating costs to a minimum, sealing cracks will help protect exposes pipes from freezing over during the winter.

Examine common sources of leaks in your exterior doors, windows, and foundation. After identifying problem areas where water can enter the interior or ice dams can form, use caulks or weather strips to seal off these cracks.

The attic is another problem area for insulation. Proper insulation of the ceiling joists prevents heat from escaping through the ceiling and into the attic and prevents ice dams. If you have insulation issues in the attic, use fiberglass batts to keep your heating bill from blowing up in the winter.

However, don’t plug any air vents that the water heater or furnace needs for proper combustion.

Weatherproof your plumbing

Low temperatures can cause your pipes to freeze, thaw, and inevitably burst. Winterize your plumbing by draining and shutting off water supply to garden sprinklers and spigots. Turn off all outdoor hoses and make sure that any exposed piping is covered.

However, home experts recommend allowing a small trickle of water to run from a kitchen or bathroom faucet in the dead of winter to prevent faucets and water lines from completely freezing over.

Pipes located in unheated areas, such as the garage or crawl space, should also be wrapped with proper materials before temperatures dip. You can also leave a portable heater in these areas to prevent pipes from freezing over.

Trim the trees in your yard

Cut off dead tree branches or any branches that are at risk of snapping, bending, or falling off the trunk before winter hits. These branches can do serious damage if they fall on roofs, decks, cars, or passersby. If you don’t have the time to remove overhanging limbs before winter, you can get a professional to do so for you.

Be the proud owner of a Chagrin Falls, OH home. Contact me, Michelle McQuade, for more information on Cleveland, Ohio homes for sale.

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