A maintenance checklist is not a list you’ll want to check twice, but by ticking off those to-do tasks to prepare your home for winter, you can earn big rewards. Besides ensuring your family remains warms, you can save a lot of money on electricity and repairs.
Top Winter Maintenance Tips for Your Home
Here are some home maintenance tips for winter that should be on your checklist:
- Shut Off the Water To Outdoor Spigots
Outdoor plumbing fixtures can freeze during the winter especially if they are exposed to the elements. To prevent that from happening, detach all of them at the end of the season. Even if your spigot is frost-free, you should still remove the hose before winter sets in. Otherwise, the pipes may freeze and burst. Plus, shut off the water to outdoor faucets, drain the lines and insulate the hose bibs to ensure this doesn’t happen. - Allow Your Faucets to Drip
If any of your indoor faucets are situated outside, they are vulnerable to the elements and will freeze. To prevent a pipe from freezing in the cold, open it just a bit so it drips slightly especially when the temperature drops to below freezing.
For the best results, open both hot and cold lines slightly and leave the doors to the cabinet open. That way, your faucets will warm up whenever your home does. Just in case, determine where the meter is outside so you can shut it off in case a water line breaks.
- Adjust Your Thermostat to Save Money
Did you know that you can save a lot of money in winter just by tweaking your thermostat? What most people don’t know is that as soon as a house’s internal temperature drops below its normal temperature, it starts to lose energy to the surrounding environment slowly. The lower that temperature gets, the slower the heat loss.
For winter, the ideal temperature should be 68 degrees when you are awake. You should lower it before you go to bed or are away from home. Consider investing in a programmable thermostat so you can do this remotely in case you forget.
- Clear a Path to Your Main Water Shut Off
If a bunch of junk is blocking easy access to your main water shut valve off, rearrange your basement or garage, so it will be easily accessible in the event of a plumbing emergency. Then, make sure your shut off valve is in good working order. Cranking it all the way to the right should shut off all water to the house. If it's rusted open or only closes partially, replace the valve immediately.
Go a step further, and make sure everyone in your house knows where the shut off valve is located and how to use it to turn off the water, your shut off valve may be located outside at the meter
- Learn How to Shut Off Your Water at the Meter
Invest in a meter key (or keep a crescent wrench handy), so you'll be able to shut off water at the meter, should your shut off valve ever fail you. Then, practice turning the water on and off, so you'll know how it's done.
The aforementioned home maintenance tips for winter will keep your family toasty and help you save money at the same time. At Patton Properties, Inc. we have talented staff members who are experienced at handling property maintenance, rent collection and any other service that is all part of managing your rental properties. Get in touch with us today to see how we can reduce your stress.
