5 home prep tips you need before winter

The cold is creeping in and if you want to avoid the problems that come with it in your home, you need to get on top of the jobs that ensure that your home is protected! Your home is your castle and for it to remain strong against the enemy (Jack Frost), you have to reinforce it as much as you can.

If you don’t ensure that you prepare your home adequately for the winter season, you’re going to end up with a house full of cold air, possible leaks from blown pipes and a lot of bills for repairs. You need experts to help you to figure out whether you are doing the right thing to ensure roof longevity, and you need them to come now to inspect it. Your home needs to be prepared for the cold weather – are you ready for it?

• Call the gas man. Are you ready for your boiler to be serviced? You should be getting it serviced every year, and the best time to do it is right before the winter. Otherwise, you risk ending up with no heating and no hot water when you could easily have avoided this! It’s vital that you get someone out to check the boiler before the season, and make sure that you have spoken to your insurance company to see if they will cover it or not.
• Empty your outside hoses and shut off the faucets. The water left in these places can freeze over during the winter months, but it doesn’t have to be this way, you can shut off the water to the outside features and prevent any burst pipes happening to your home. You will risk major water damage if you leave this one out, so make sure that you check all the external faucets.
• Buy in the salt! If you are early, you can ensure that you are stocked with salt to ensure that your driveway and steps up to the home aren’t the slippery slope that could cause you to have an injury. Your home needs to be prepared, and that involves salting your exterior to keep you safe!
• Check your windows. You have to make sure that your windows and doors have the right sealant on them before the weather turns cold. When you do this, you can ensure that you aren’t dealing with cold air leaking into your home. You may need to reseal the windows if they have gaps or holes in them, so make sure that you are checking them properly.
• Get the pest control company in! Your home is going to be the perfect place for rodents and other pests to camp out when the weather turns cold. If you ensure that you are calling in the pest control companies before the weather shifts, you are going to be able to prevent any families of mice getting too comfortable in the house. Take your time here as this is going to be a big job!

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