San Diego Real Estate BLOG
Winter Home Preparation Tips
It’s that time of year again, the leaves are turning, the weather is getting cooler, and the holidays have begun. Fall is upon us, and it will be followed quickly by winter. We here in Point Loma get off very easy considering what those living in Chicago or New York have to deal with, but even with our relatively mild winters there a few things we should all do get our house in order for the chilly season. Your home is your greatest asset, and following the quick tips outlined below will go a long way to ensuring that your home stays in top shape and that the coming winter will be a pleasant one.
Check Your Heater
Chances are that your heater doesn’t see a ton of action during the rest of the year, and most modern heaters can go years without requiring maintenance. But they are complex machines and they do sometimes require servicing. Do yourself a favor and have your HVAC service representative take a preemptive look at the system, and do it sooner rather than later. Much like A/C in the summer, there is a rush on heater services in the winter because everyone else has put it off too. A quick repair now, before you need, it is a much better alternative to having to spend a couple of days/weeks without heat later in the season because a failure occurs and the repair guy is too busy fixing everyone else’s broken heater to get to you any time soon.
At the very least, make sure to change you HVAC air filter. A dirty filter puts undo strain on your home HVAC system, and a clean filter goes a LONG way to ensuring your home will be pleasant throughout the year.
Check Insulation and Caulking
This is an extension of the previous tip. Having your home is properly insulated and sealed takes a great deal of strain off your HVAC system and usually means a significantly lower heating bill.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
To take thing a step further, take a moment to flip the little switch on your ceiling fans and reverse their airflow. For cooling in the summer, the fan needs to pull warm air up, in the winter it needs to push it down. This super quick and easy trick will keep your home MUCH warmer in the winter and take more of the load off of your heater, again translating into a lower heating bill.
Inspect Your Roof
The roof is your home’s shield against the elements. A happy home begins with a solid roof. Heat escaping through a crack is the least of your worries; imagine a leak that allows a rainstorm in. Water damage is EXTREMELY costly to repair, and it some severe cases, water in the walls or foundation can mean the end of the entire house. Do yourself a favor and take a quick peek at your roof looking for any signs of wear or failure. You could even take things a step further and call a roofer out to do a professional inspection just to be safe. Roof repairs can be expensive, but the cost of a roof leak can be catastrophic.
Clean Your Rain Gutters and Chimney
While we don’t get a ton of rain most years, 2016 is shaping up to be an El Nino year and that could mean heavier than usual rainfall. Take an afternoon to ensure your rain gutters are functioning properly. No one likes to do, but the gutters serve a vital function keeping excess moisture away from your homes foundation and little bit of extra work now could save larger costs down the road. While you are at it, spend the $100 to $200 to have a professional chimney sweep clean your chimney at least every 5-10 years depending on your usage. While most chimneys can go for years without maintenance, suit and ash can build up over time and create a ticking time bomb that could potentially go up with even a small spark.. Make sure your chimney sweep installs a new spark arrester while they are at it. It is a $40 part that can literally save your house from burning down.
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