Better protect your home throughout the winter by completing these maintenance tasks.
Winter is here, and that means snow and ice are all around us. Cold winter weather sends most of us indoors, where we spend time with our families and warm up with mugs of hot cocoa. We might venture outside for some snowman-building fun or brisk walks with the dog, but that time outdoors rarely lasts long.
While it’s important to prepare your property for winter ahead of time, you can also help protect it in the dead of winter. Take a look at these tasks to help keep your home in good condition throughout the adverse weather and cooler temperatures.
- Refresh your furnace. Ideally, you have your furnace checked for problems on a routine basis, usually in the late summer or early fall. But if you haven’t had time to take a closer look at your furnace, now is a good time to do so. Changing the filter is a quick and easy way to help it run more efficiently. The machine itself might be covered in dirt and grime, so take the time to clean the exterior, too.
- Light it up.Those dark winter days have us reaching for the lights more often. Now is a good idea to stock up on light bulbs, clean light fixtures, and add fresh batteries to your flashlight in case you lose power during a winter storm.
- Test detectors.Your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are continuously working behind the scenes. Take the time to quickly check each alarm to ensure they are in good working condition.
- Keep the heat on– even when you go away. By doing so, you keep your pipes warm and prevent them from freezing. Your heating system then doesn’t have to work extra hard to bring the house back up to room temperature, too.
- Keep the rooms cozy. Laying down insulation around the bones of the house is an ideal way to weatherproof your property. However, there are many other ways to create an insulated feel. You can add thermal curtains to block out cold air, roll out rugs on hardwood floors, and add covers over open plugs to keep cold air at bay.
- Build a safety kit. Collect supplies you can use in a power outage or severe storm – just in case! Stock up on flashlights, batteries, fresh water, a first aid kit, non-perishable foods, and blankets. Don’t forget food and supplies for your pet, too!
Remember that your home insurance can help if your home is damaged in winter. For help finding the right coverage for your needs,
contact the team at Tompkins Insurance Agencies to get started.
