Winter is coming with a guarantee of cold weather and for some lots of snow, and like every year, you need to do some things around the house to ensure that your home’s interior is secure from the cold weather, and comfortable for our families.
Whether we live in countries with extreme winter weather like Switzerland, or ones like Ireland with moderate climates that dip just below freezing on some winter days, we need to take steps to prepare our homes for the coldest months.
An additional big benefit from undertaking these efforts, is that you will also save money by lowering your fuel bills. Here is a list of things you can do to get your home fully prepared for the coldest months of the year:
Have your Heating System Inspected
During the winter, the main appliance protecting you and your family from feeling the effects of the elements, is your home’s heating system. This invaluable tool works very little during the warmer months, but is in operation constantly when the temperature drops. So before winter comes, it is a great time to have your home heating system inspected to make sure that all of its parts are in top working order.
Be sure to call in a professional who can check the entire system and its measure the efficiency of each, including the furnace, the ducts, and filters which can sometimes get neglected. A complete service will certainly identify and allow you to correct any issues affecting the system’s overall performance.
Install and Check Smoke Alarms
Believe it or not, fires happen more often in the winter than in at any other time. And with the concerns of snowy or icy roads inhibiting the ability for help to arrive in the event of a fire, preventing or stopping one before it can grow large is the best approach. So you need to make sure all smoke alarms are installed in every area of your home and working.
Check Door and Window Seals
During the warmer months windows and doors can expand and cause ill-fitting seals, creating drafts throughout a home. You may not notice them during the warmer months, but during winter they will substantially lower the temperature in a room or even the entire house.
Additionally, these drafts cause your heating system to work harder costing you higher fuel bills. So check doors and windows for drafts and when you locate any seal them with weather stripping. You should also check attics, basements and even the roof for leaks. Sealing leaks will maintain a constant warm temperature in all rooms of your home.
Check Your Home Insurance Policy
Winter is also a time of great uncertainty and expected disasters that occur in and around the home. We can certainly prepare for some, but even with the best preparation, many still occur. So whether you are a home owner, a renter or a landlord, be sure to have a comprehensive home insurance policy from a reputable broker like Chill Insurance that protects you from a full range of winter emergencies.