A Florence Homeowners’ Guide to Home Winterization

It's approaching that time of year again when it's time to button down the hatches. The winter storms can arrive in the blink of an eye when you're not prepared for the cold weather. As much as we feel the cold weather on our bodies, our homes feel it too. The only difference is that we get to go inside and bundle up in a warm sweater with a hot cup of coffee when the cold snaps. Our homes have to stand tall and strong in the winter weather. And while you can't put a warm knit sweater on your home, there are a wide range of home winterization tasks you can follow. Home winterization in Florence may not add an extra layer of warm clothing; home winterization will add an extra layer of protection in the brutal winter. 

Most tasks on our winterization home maintenance checklist can be completed on your own. However, some tasks should and can be completed by our Florence handyman. Home winterization is something that should not be neglected, especially if you want to save on energy costs and avoid costly repairs in the spring when things start to melt. At Mr. Handyman of Northern Kentucky and West Cincinnati, we've put together a list of easy jobs that you can do to prepare your home for the winter months. 

From changing out your furnace filters and queuing up your programmable thermostats to putting away your patio furniture and sealing up gaps around windows, allow Mr. Handyman to guide you through the essentials for home winterization in Florence, KY. The only thing you should be worrying about this winter is Christmas shopping, not the potential damages that can happen to your home without home winterization!  

Top Home Winterization Tips Before the Cold Weather Hits

The cold weather in Northern Kentucky usually arrives in November and will last until March. That gives you ample time to effectively winterize your home— if you get started on these home winterization tips right away. The most important reasons for winterization home maintenance are to protect your property from extensive damage the winter season can cause and to keep your home energy efficient. Heating systems go into overdrive when the cold snaps and your overall energy consumption increases. You will want to ensure that your home is accounting for any heat loss with adequate insulation. Now, let's get into our essentials for home winterization in Florence, KY. 

Clean Your Gutters

As the first step of our home winterization tips, it's time to have your gutters cleaned. When your gutters are in good shape, they'll be able to properly direct rainwater and snow away from the foundation of your home. However, clogged gutters prevent this efficient disposal of water. When your gutters are full of pine needles, leaves, and other debris, this will lead to an overflow of water. Water damage can affect your home's foundation, your fascia boards, and your soffits. If you're not comfortable cleaning your gutters yourself since you'll have to be on tall ladders for an extended period of time, our Northern Kentucky handyman team can assist with professional gutter cleaning.  

Weatherproof Your Windows

The next part of our home winterization process is to weatherproof your windows. When your windows are not properly sealed, it decreases the energy efficiency of your home. Your HVAC heating system will go into overdrive, accounting for the heat and energy loss. What's more, it affects the optimal temperature in your home since drafts can make for very uncomfortable living spaces. Check on the weather stripping around your windows. If you see that it is cracked or peeled, the weather stripping will have to be replaced. Another way you can test to see if the layer of insulation in your windows is optimal is to place your hand near the window. If you feel drafts coming from the window, it's time for new weather stripping. Sealing up gaps around windows is a very important step for home winterization and a relatively quick and easy task to perform!  

Clean Out Your Dirty Chimneys

If you have a fireplace, you'll want to look into hiring a chimney sweep to ensure the chimney flue is clean. A dirty chimney poses a severe fire hazard. To ensure your safety and your home's safety, make sure you keep up with chimney maintenance as part of your home winterization in Florence, KY.  

Prepare Your Pipes

Frozen pipes are known to burst in the cold temperatures. This is probably one of the most important maintenance tips for home winterization in Florence, KY. To make sure you don't have to face the consequences of broken pipes this winter, here's how you can prevent your outdoor and indoor plumbing from costly plumbing issues:

• Make sure you drain the water from your sprinkler systems and your garden hoses. Disconnect garden hoses from your outdoor faucets and put them into storage. You won't be needing your outdoor hoses for the winter, so make sure they are disconnected from your water supply. 
• Insulate or cover any exposed pipes.
• Make sure your plumbing fixtures, such as your water heater, are working efficiently, and if not, contact a plumbing professional for repair.  

HVAC Systems Maintenance

The last part of our Florence home winterization tips is probably the most important. As your main heat source during the winter, you will want to make sure that your heating system maintenance is in check. Replace any furnace filters that are old or dirty, and schedule services with a heating professional for an HVAC inspection. Furthermore, make sure your thermostats are working optimally, so you can adjust your home's temperature settings with ease.  

Count On Mr. Handyman of Northern Kentucky and West Cincinnati for Home Winterization

While not many homeowners rejoice that winter is coming, when you enact the proper winterization of your home in Florence, Union, Covington, Colerain, and Cheviot, you can at least have peace of mind knowing that your home won't sustain any extreme damage during the winter. 

If you'd like assistance or extra advice on home winterization, feel free to contact Mr. Handyman of Northern Kentucky and West Cincinnati for help! Our service professionals will be glad to assist with any repairs or maintenance that you'd like professional assistance with.