

Ways To Make Sure Your House Is Ready For All Seasons

Whether the weather is warm, cold, wet, or dry, it’s always important for your home to be in great shape on a year-round basis. But as you know, maintaining your house means there are lots of things that need to be checked regularly. If you want to make sure your house is ready for all seasons and everything Mother Nature may come up with along the way, here are some key things you should do as part of your maintenance schedule.
Inspect Your Roof
While it’s crucial your roof be in good shape year-round, it’s especially important that you inspect it during the winter, especially after you’ve had a snowstorm or sleet and freezing rain. If you had a heavy snowfall, it’s possible your gutters or downspouts may have been damaged. Also look for any shingles that may be loose or missing, since this can lead to a leaky roof. A leaky roof can then lead to a serious mildew or mold problem in your house. The damages will continue to pile up if you leave your roof untreated, making a simple fix turn into multiple serious and more expensive changes.
Check Your Water Heater
While you may take that hot water you use for bathing and washing dishes and clothes for granted, you won’t once your water heater stops working. To prevent an unexpected problem, inspect your water heater regularly to see if it is leaking or has problems with its pressure-relief valve. Should you notice anything out of the ordinary, have it inspected by a local company near you like McQuade Heating & Cooling Plumbing & Refrigeration to make sure it gets repaired or replaced. It is important to have it regularly inspected as you could be left stranded in the cold winter days with no hot water. It is highly recommended to check your water heater every two months just to prevent any future plumbing problems like a leaky or busted pipe.
Inspect Your Windows and Doors
Should you start to notice your home’s energy bills are getting higher and you don’t know why, conduct an inspection of your home’s windows and doors. If the windows and doors are older, the weather stripping may have started to wear out. When this happens, warm air can escape your home and cold air can enter, which will result in your heating and cooling system having to work much harder than normal. It is recommended that you check your windows at the very least every six months. Although, if you are someone who lives near costal areas or other areas with a high moisture content then it is recommended to check your windows every month. Just to avoid any mold or mildew build up from the constant moisture.

Check Your Smoke Alarms
Finally, always take some time to check your home’s smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Unfortunately, many homes are lost due to fires each year thanks to smoke detectors that were not working properly, and many people lose their lives each year due to carbon monoxide leaks that went unnoticed. By testing these alarms and detectors once per month, you’ll spend a few seconds of your time that could wind up saving your life and your family’s as well. It is important to to also change your batteries every year just to ensure it is fully charged at all times. It is also important to change your firealarm every 10 months to make sure it is fully functional.
Once you develop a maintenance checklist for your house and establish a regular inspection routine, your home will stay in great condition year-round, giving you peace of mind to focus on other things. Just remember these tips listed above and you home will be prepared for all times of the year.