BLOGS

How to Winterize Your Home

Winterizing your home is both an inside and an outside job. There is much to do to prepare for the coming winter months. We will consider a couple of inside jobs and a couple of outside jobs that will ensure your house is in top shape for the harsh winter ahead. With some of these items it is crucial that they are done before the first freeze otherwise there can be disastrous consequences and it can cost a pretty penny to fix.

Blow Out Your Sprinkler System

Blowing out your sprinkler system is important because if you let the water sit in them through the winter more likely than not a pipe will burst because of the water inside of them freezing. This can be a costly fix because of having to then replace the burst pipe afterwards. Then this would include having to figure out which pipe it is, dig it up, and replace the pipe. In order to avoid that you’ll want to make sure to turn off the main water valve for the sprinkler system before the temperatures hit freezing. Be sure that if you have your sprinkler on a timer that you shut off the controller. Then you’ll need to drain the water out by the manual drain valve, automatic valve, or by blowing it out with an air compressor one zone at a time.

Start Up Your Furnace the Right Way

The fall and winter is that time of year where the furnace starts to keep us warm and cozy inside your home. During these colder seasons it’s important to make sure that you change the filter for it at the very least once a month. When filters get dirty they restrict the airflow and increase the demand for energy. It can be hard to remember just when to change the filters but putting a little reminder on your phone one day out of the month might be a good idea.

Properly Shut Down Your A/C

You’ll want to make sure that you drain the liquid from the hoses and pipes of your A/C unit. Make sure that you don’t have any water pooled in the unit, pipes, and hoses. Shutoff the water valve to the A/C if you have one. After you drain the liquid from the piping, if you have a water shutoff valve you’ll want to make sure to shut it off. In addition to the A/C piping you’ll want to make sure that your water hose piping is also drained and your exterior water spouts are turned off. All piping and water that is on the exterior of your home needs to be drained and put away.

Winter can be a fun but it gets cold. To make sure that your home is ready for the cold it’ll take a little time out of your day but it is well worth it. The outside of your home gets the brunt of the harsh weather so making sure that your home is properly set for the winter is important. McCaleb Homes knows what it takes to winterize a home. We want to ensure that your home is well taken care of.

By McCaleb Homes 10-3-2017