You Need To Tackle These Chores Before Winter

The countdown towards a long winter season has started, which means it’s the opportune time to prepare your home for chilly temperatures and rough storms. Before the snow starts to fall, you should finish these maintenance checks and household chores.

Deal With The Windows And Doors!

One of the most important steps on a winter-ready checklist that homeowners should do right away is secure their windows and doors from the cold — this can be achieved by sealing gaps with caulking and applying a form of weatherstripping. Heat can easily escape if there are any cracks or gaps around the main entrances, so it’s good to fill these crevices before the temperatures get lower.

If the windows and doors are particularly old or drafty, they might need to be removed and replaced. One of the top windows and door manufacturers in Ottawa is Golden Windows and they have high-quality energy-efficient options that will prevent cold wind from pushing inside of the house.

If homeowners are looking for a new door in Ottawa, the company carries durable entry upgrades made of wood, fiberglass and steel. These dedicated experts have an official website and blog full of practical tips for taking care of your home during the harshest season of the year — their articles cover a variety of winter topics like window condensation, caulking and weatherstripping.

Replace The Furnace Filter!

When the winter season hits, residents close their doors and windows to stop the cold from filling their rooms. Cutting off forms of natural ventilation and air circulation means that people breathe in more dust, smoke, pet dander and allergens — this is why experts recommend that they keep the home’s lungs clean and run maintenance on their furnace to improve the indoor air quality.

Here is a quick list of suggestions that will help you get through this chore and make the results as effective as possible:

• Look for options with high Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) ratings which typically ranges between 1 and 16.
• Vacuum around the outside of the furnace and at the filter edge to get rid of collected dust and hair.
• Stock up on filters because you should put in a replacement every four weeks for clean air and lower hydro bills.

Insulate The Pipes!

Frozen pipes are more than inconveniences when someone wants to wash their hands or have a shower. Ice inside of pipes can expand, putting pressure on the system and making them burst — the situation is known for causing lots of flooding and water damage in the winter.

A homeowner can prevent this disaster from happening to them when they insulate water pipes with tubular sleeves and seal them shut with tape — this is especially important for areas that are close to the exterior or have less access to heating.

You should get these features ready ahead of time instead of waiting for the ice to form or snow to fall. The entire family will be thankful that you decided to winterize the entire house before the season hit.