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September 27th, 2021 by

Winter can take its toll on your home, but with the right prep, the cold weather maintenance will be a breeze.

Right now is the perfect time to start winter-proofing your home. Fall weather is currently pretty mild, which gives you the chance to get the work done before winter temperatures set in. But what should you spend your time on first? Here are the top winter-proofing tasks to focus on, according to our real estate agents.

  • Have your furnace serviced.
    To keep it running in top form for as long as possible, your furnace should ideally be serviced every year. The technician will change the filter, test the furnace's operation, and perform any necessary maintenance. Schedule soon to get ahead of the fall rush and to ensure your furnace will be able to keep you toasty all winter long!

  • Perform the annual maintenance on your water heater.
    Your water heater also should be serviced regularly to extend its life span. Sediment from the water tends to build up inside the water heater over time, settling on the bottom and coating the heating element, and eventually causing corrosion, leaks, and a less effective heating element. Flushing the water heater on an annual basis prevents the buildup from getting out of hand and helps to keep you in hot water all winter long.

  • Check and seal drafts.
    Drafts are more than just unpleasant. They allow heat to escape and make it more expensive to heat your home in the long run. Check for leaks around windows and doors, install weather stripping, and seal up cracks with caulking to help your home keep the heat in this winter.

  • Clean your gutters.
    Especially in a neighborhood with a lot of big trees, gutters should be cleaned twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. If your gutters can be reached easily, you can do this yourself, removing debris from the gutters and then flushing downspouts with the garden hose. If your gutters are high or hard to access, call a gutter company to have this done professionally.

  • Have your roof inspected.
    While you're having your gutters cleaned, it's a good idea to have your roof inspected as well. Rain, hail, and wind throughout the year can damage the shingles on your roof. Left unchecked, these damaged shingles can worsen with winter snow, leading to leaks inside your home. This is also something that gets checked when South Bend homes for sale go under contract, as a new roof can be expensive, not to mention the cost of any water damage mitigation inside the house.

  • Prep your sprinklers for winter.
    As you're winterizing your home, don't forget about what is outside your home, too. Exterior water lines are susceptible to damage from freezing if they aren't prepped for winter. Have your sprinkler company come out and blow out the lines so that there's no water left in them to freeze, and then shut down the system for the winter.

  • Mulch the garden.
    Don't forget to pay your garden a little attention this fall, too, and you'll be rewarded with a beautiful garden in the spring. Mulch your flower beds and vegetable gardens to help protect any perennials and keep the moisture in the soil throughout the winter. Repurpose the leaves you or your neighbor raked up this fall to cover your garden and save yourself money on buying mulch at the garden store.

If you're planning on selling your home this winter, you'll also want to focus on adding curb appeal with a tidy yard, fresh paint, and fall decor. For more tips on staging your home, or to start the search for your dream home, contact us today.

Categories: Home Improvement
Tags: Cressy & Everett, South Bend IN, Home maintenance, Home improvement
Related Markets: South Bend

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