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Prepare your home for winter

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Prepare your home for winterIt feels like the summers are becoming shorter and the winters longer, once more again, we say this every year, and it may simply seem that way as we get older. However, winter is just around the corner, so it’s time to start out thinking about winterizing your home. Some things can wait, while others cannot.

1.) Garden hoses may be broken if left exposed to the cold, therefore start considering storage places. in addition, if you have freeze proof spigots, hoses have to be uncoupled to permit the water to properly drain from the spigot to stop freeze and bursting the line.

2.) Cover outdoor spigots with insulated covers as an added measure to prevent freeze.

3.) Lawn sprinkler/irrigation systems should be drained to stop damage to the system.

4.) Crawl space vents can have to be closed or covered to keep cold air out of the crawl space. In warm weather, of course, the vents are opened to reduce moisture buildup which can result in mould and mildew issues, to not mention moisture attracts insects in particular certain termites.

5.) Have your heating system checked before you would like it. Heating and air conditioning service firms experience high demand for services during the first cold snap of the season, therefore get ahead of the rush.

6.) Make sure your gutters are clean out. Stopped up drain spouts will permit water to build up and if it freezes it can damage the roofline, soffits, and the guttering system itself.

7.) Prune back any branches that overhang the roofline. Snow and ice can weigh down even healthy limbs that right away don’t seem to be a hazard, however once under strain from the weight of snow and ice could snap and harm the roof or walls of the house.

8.) Stock up on ice melt now, as a result of as you know, the minute the first snow or ice is predicted folks rush to the stores and clean out the supply. Retail stores ne’er seem to own their act together when it involves inventorying certain items, because if they order too much then they have to inventory a product that has only 1 use for a brief period.

9.) Service your generators and stabilize the fuel. Ensure they work properly and that you’ve got fresh fuel going into the colder months. Examine your electrical cords for serviceability and if you had purchased appliances over the summer months, ensure you’ve got electrical cords rated for the appliance and guarantee your generator can handle the additional load.

10.) Check your water pipes insulation, and if you use heat tape ensure it’s working by testing it before it gets cold.

11.) Inspect your hot water tank blanket, and if you do not have one it’s recommended you do get one if your tank is located in a non-heated part of the house such as in the garage, basement, or crawlspace.

This may even be a good time to drain your tank to clear out the sediment. too much build up in the bottom of the tank can have an impact on the efficiency, and will even cause damage, and in some cases the sediment may build up to the point you can not drain the tank, because of a clogged spigot. In addition, if you wish to use your hot water tank as an emergency water supply, you would like it as sediment free as possible and of course you want the drain to work.

12.) If you’ve got a wood burning fireplace or wood stove have your chimney cleaned and inspected for damage before your 1st fire. Creosote buildup as you know is dangerous and over time it’ll build up even if you only burned well seasoned wood. Seasoned wood will still have up to twenty percent moisture content which will cause a buildup.

John Turner
John Turnerhttp://www.patriotdirect.org/
Dedicated to upgrowth, developement and prepared for the "worst" to come... Simple guy, simple skills, simple attitude. Just an ordinary guy who tries to survive!

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